New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Vice President Rachel Mackintosh said today that she had woken up full of excitement for New Zealand women, their families and communities following the announcement of the new coalition Government. Labour, New Zealand First and the Green Party have all committed to scrapping unfair equal pay and pay equity legislation which National drafted, and making the principles negotiated by the Joint Working Group into law.
Speaking from Australia, Ms Mackintosh said “Finally we have a Government that understands putting equal pay in women’s pockets is both the right thing to do and will lift whole families out of poverty. Hard-working women will be able to put food in their children’s lunchboxes, and provide the kinds of experiences that grow curious, confident citizens. Businesses can look forward to the increased purchasing power equal pay delivers to women in paid work throughout New Zealand.”
“Paying women fairly for the work that they do also pays off many times over for society as a whole. There are benefits beyond what we measure in dollar terms. Women are more likely to use time outside paid work volunteering for their community and caring for their loved ones. Equal pay is exactly the kind of shot in the arm that New Zealand communities urgently need to flourish. The faster Ms Ardern and her colleagues can get equal pay into New Zealand homes and business, the better for us all” she said.
