‘Stale, pale male’ protests gender pay gap

Alan Hart is the first to call himself “male, stale and pale”. But the marine biology technician is also stubborn: he thinks his female colleagues deserve fair pay, and he’s making some noise about it.

On Thursday morning, Hart and a handful of employees from Nelson’s National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (Niwa) gathered on Haven Rd.

Holding placards and waving to tooting cars and trucks, the Public Service Association members joined a nationwide strike asking Niwa for a fair pay increase, and to address a significant gender pay gap.

They are also protesting anti-union tactics.

Across the country, 180 Niwa staff have raised personal grievances against their employer, saying they have missed out on health insurance that was offered only to non-union members.

Hart has worked at Niwa for 30 years. At the beginning of his career, he watched women, then in a minority in the industry, campaign for equal pay.

Now, women make up almost half of the Crown Research Institute. But the pay gap remains, with women paid 10% less than their male counterparts.

“We were told things would improve as more women go into science,” Hart said. “Well, more women are going into science and they’re still not being paid what they should be.”

Hart held a placard with a graph showing the pay gap was evident across all levels. “The data doesn’t lie. These are people with similar qualifications doing similar work.”

Hart had questioned whether he was the right person to speak up on the issue.

“Why is a male, stale, pale guy mansplaining for women?”

But his female colleagues had told him until men got angry, nothing would change.

Hart is among the 180 staff who have lodged personal grievance claims against their employer.

Offering health insurance solely to non-union members was divisive and antiunion, he said.

“They’re trying to split the workforce: some people have left the union. It’s an unfair bargaining strategy.”

Niwa has said medical insurance for union members was part of ongoing talks for a collective agreement.

A spokesperson has said Niwa remained committed to a joint party established with the PSA in 2022 to address any gender pay equity issues.

BRADEN FASTIER/STUFF Alan Hart had asked his colleagues at Niwa if they wanted a “male, pale, stale” spokesman. But until men got angry, things wouldn’t change, they told him.

Women scientists are paid 10% less than their counterparts, through every level of the organisation, says Alan Hart.