12% gender pay gap spurs call for action

Pay equity advocates are calling for urgent action from the Government after the gender pay gap slipped to 12 per cent for the first time since 2008.

The latest Labour Market income figures from Statistics NZ showed the pay gap had gone from a record low of 9.1 per cent in 2012 back up to 12 per cent in June this year.

Minister for Women Louise Upston said the increase was disappointing after a downward trend in the gap over the past 17 years.

Upston said it was employers who needed to act by assessing their own processes and ensuring there was no pay gap.

However, the Public Service Association’s Assistant National Secretary Kerry Davies said the Government should step up.

“The Minister for Women says the equal pay i ssue needs conscious, measured and reported efforts.

“We agree, and we urge the Government to walk the talk — by agreeing to fully implement the Joint Working Group’s recommendations.

“If government officials, employers and unions can agree on a workable way to deliver equal pay, then Cabinet should not drag its feet.”

That group, including business and union representatives reported back to Government on ways to achieve pay equity in May but the Government has yet to announce a response.

Its recommendations included allowing employees to make ‘ pay equity claims’ where they believed workers were paid less because the workforce was predominantly female.

Green Party women’s spokeswoman Jan Logie also said the Government should adopt the Working Group report.

Logie said underpaying traditional women’s work was a major contributor to women getting paid less than men.

“We need those jobs, we can’t just tell women to change jobs. We need to pay women fairly whatever job they do.”

The Pay Equity Coalition spokesperson Angela McLeod said any pay difference because of gender was unacceptable.

Upston said the State Services Commission was working to fix any gender pay gap issues in the public service and public sector organisations had to report on the pay gaps in their strategic plans.

In June, the median hourly wage for women was $ 22 while men earned $ 25 an hour.