Women working for free until the end of the year

Media release on behalf of the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition
18 November 2009

Today marks the day when New Zealand women are effectively working for free until the end of the year, says the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition.

“The effect of women being paid less than men for work of equal value means women are subsidising the economy to the tune of at least $4billion every year,” said Pay Equity Challenge spokesperson Angela McLeod.

Women are paid at least 12% less than men (in average hourly earnings), and 18 November is approximately 88% of the way through the year. “Women are effectively working for free from now until 2010,” said McLeod. “For many women the pay gap is even greater than 12%, so some have already been working for free for a while.”

To mark the occasion, McLeod and fellow pay equity campaigners dressed as debt collectors today unveiled a giant invoice for $4billion, made out to the Minister of Women’s Affairs, the Minister of Labour and Business New Zealand. Payment can be made by making a public commitment to ending gender pay inequity – or in cash.

The Ministers, as well as Business New Zealand’s Phil O’Reilly and Prime Minister John Key were invited to come and accept the invoice, but did not respond.

The campaigners are calling on women to write to the Ministers concerned and ask them to increase the pay of those workers already identified by government investigations as underpaid, ensure that employers comply with all gender pay legislation, and create a strategy to close the gender pay gap in both the public and private sectors.