Pay parity comes to NZ Cricket
New Zealand’s professional women’s and men’s cricketers will receive the same pay for the same work on the same day, in a landmark agreement struck between NZC, the six Major Associations, and the New Zealand Cricket Players Association.
The five-year deal, the first in which the men’s and women’s professional environments have been combined in one agreement, will see the White Ferns and domestic women’s players receiving the same match fees as the men across all their formats and competitions.
NZC, the NZCPA and the six Major Associations worked towards a pay equity framework with the advice of gender pay expert, Yolanda Beattie.
The improved pay and conditions are part of an agreement calculated on the country’s men’s and women’s professional players receiving 29.75 per cent of all NZC forecast revenue over five years ($349m).
Translated, this means the highestranked White Fern would be able to receive a maximum of $163,246 a year (up from $83,432), the ninth-ranked, $148,946 ($66,266), and the 17thranked $142,346 ($62,833).
The top-ranked women’s domestic players in each Major Association would be able to receive a maximum of $19,146 (up from $3,423), the sixthranked $18,646 ($3,423), and the 12thranked $18,146 ($3423).
The agreement sees the total number of women’s domestic contracts increase from 54 to 72, all positioned as a secondary work commitment with restricted obligations, to enable players to retain full-time employment and/or study commitments.
In addition, the number of domestic women’s annual contracts will be increased from nine to 12 per team, and an annual women’s North v South series for emerging international players will be introduced.
New Zealand’s professional men’s players, whose match fees at T20I, ODI, Ford Trophy, and Super Smash level will be the same as the women, will earn higher retainers, based on the increased number of matches played, formats contested, and time spent training and playing.
They have also received increases on current levels, the top-ranked Black Cap able to receive a maximum of $523,396 (up from $459,574), the 10thranked $444,196 ($377,981), and the 20th-ranked $367,196 ($305,453).
Additionally, the highest-ranked domestic men’s player in each Major Association would receive a maximum of $102,707 (up from $94,437), the eighth-ranked $87,307 ($77,357), and the 16th-ranked $75,207 ($64,406).