Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff said today that the National Party was not fooling any women with the return of its intentionally flawed Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill through the members bill ballot process. “I have to say, I’m impressed by their persistence trying to throw hurdles in front of women’s pay, but we all know this bill was killed off for very good reason” he said.
“The new coalition Government has already reconvened the Joint Working Group on equal pay and is getting the equal pay principles agreed by unions and business into law. This is a stark difference from the last Government, who tried with this bill to erase the mechanisms that Kristine Bartlett and unions used to achieve the equal pay settlement for care and support staff.”
“Now the National Party is trying to bring their deceptive bill back from the dead to put the handbrake on women accessing equal pay. I’m confident that voters can see whose interests the National Party is serving- and it’s not hard working New Zealand women. We’re forging ahead to get the agreed equal pay principles into law this year and putting money into women’s pockets.”
The Council of Trade Unions is working together with business and politicians across Government to get the agreed equal pay principles into the Equal Pay Act within the next 264 days
