WHY WOMEN PAY THE PRICE

New rules announced in the Budget have a lot of workers fuming. We delve deeper into the controversial issue of pay equity

- Donna Fleming

It has led to petitions, protests and the use of an extreme swear word in Parliament. The Government says it will improve the process of resolving pay-equity claims, but critics say it’s an abuse of human rights.

The Pay Equity Amendment Bill is one of the most controversial pieces of legislation to pass in New Zealand. It became law less than 36 hours after being announced last month, thanks to being rushed through Parliament “under urgency”.

And just two weeks after its introduction pulled the plug on all current pay equity claims, $12.8 billion set aside for mostly female workers in low-paid jobs was taken and “re-directed” by the Government as part of this year's Budget.

People are angry about the effect the bill will have on women in low-paid jobs — not only those who lost the pay increases they'd been fighting for when their claims were scrapped, but many thousands more who, in the future, want to earn more for jobs considered to be “women's work”.

Here's all you need to know about pay equity and the bill's impact

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUAL PAY AND PAY EQUITY?

Equal pay means the same pay for the same work, regardless of gender. Pay equity means the same pay for different work with the same or similar skill, responsibility and effort.

WHY IS PAY EQUITY AN ISSUE?

Jobs where the workforce is predominantly women — including nurses, care workers and other healthcare staff, teachers and social workers — tend to be lower paid than those where most of the workers are men.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT PAYING WOMEN FAIRLY?

In 1960, the Government Service Equal Pay Act ruled that government employees had to be paid the same amount for doing the same work, regardless of gender.