It took less than two days for the Government to announce their changes to the Equal Pay Act, and then make those changes. Because things happened this fast, a huge amount of information about pay equity has sprung up in a really short time-frame—which can be pretty confusing for anyone new to the issue! To help you out, we’ve compiled some information on the pay equity process and the changes that were made to it. What’s the difference between equal pay and pay equity? What does a comparator do? How long has this been going on? Find all the answers below.
On this page:
Scrapped pay equity claims:
Pay equity reading list
Ministry of Women: Pay equity and equal pay
PPTA: Pay Equity FAQs
NZCTU: Equal Pay, Equal Rights: Fighting for Pay Equity in Aotearoa
The Spinoff: Is comparing librarians to fisheries officers really so ridiculous?
The Spinoff: The ‘muddy waters’ of pay equity
Stuff: The pay equity law change has passed. This is who it impacts.
If there’s some information you’ve seen out there that you think would be useful for people to know, email communications@nzctu.org.nz
Scrapped pay equity claims
Below is a list of the 33 Pay Equity Claims that have been gutted by the recent legislative changes:
*Updated 7.08.25
Education
- Teachers (ECE, Primary and Secondary Teachers) | NZEI Te Riu Roa, PPTA
- Residential School Youth Workers | PSA
- Residential School Support Workers | PSA
- Education Advisors (Learning Support) | NZEI Te Riu Roa
- MoE Service Managers | NZEI Te Riu Roa
- Psychologists | NZEI Te Riu Roa
- Psychologists (Education)
- Psychologists (Corrections)
- Kindergarten Support Workers | NZEI Te Riu Roa
- Kindergarten Administration
- Kindergarten Cooks
- Kindergarten Teacher Aides
- Kohanga Reo Kaiako | NZEI Te Riu Roa
- Library Assistants | TEU, PSA
- Tertiary Education Library Assistants
- Library Assistants in Councils
- Administrators | TEU, PSA
- Tertiary Education Administration and Clerical
- Public Service Administration and Clerical Claim 1
- Public Service Administration and Clerical Claim 2
Community
- Probation Officers and Senior Practitioners | PSA, NUPE
- Social Service Workers (from 5 NGOs) | PSA
- Care and Support Frontline Managers and Coordinators | PSA, NZNO, E tū
Family
- Plunket Nurses | NZNO
- Community Midwives | MERAS
- Hospices Nurses | NZNO
- Health Care Assistants | NZNO
- Community Nurses | NZNO
- Vet Nurses | Workers First
- Medical Administrators | NZNO
- Primary Practices and Urgent Care Centres
- Admin / Medical Receptionists
- Plunket Administration
Health
- Med Lab Pre-Analytical Technicians | PSA, NZNO
- Labtests Awanui
- Phlebotomists | PSA, NZNO
- Labtests Awanui
- Aged Residential Care Nurses | NZNO
- NZ Artificial Limb Service Workers | PSA
- Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa Workers | PSA