The National-led Government has gutted the Equal Pay Act. Their changes reverse decades of progress to balance pay for women and people of all genders working jobs that have been undervalued due to sexism. 

Without warning, the Government has: 

• Cancelled pay equity claims that promised better pay for tens of thousands of people.  

• Put up huge barriers to raise a new claim. 

• Withdrawn maintenance of settled claims – which will erode pay for people like nurses, midwives, hospital administrators, and Allied health workers. 

The changes entrench gender-based pay discrimination. They lock work that’s important to all of us – like care, education, administration – into being undervalued. They take money from the pockets of workers it’s promised to – who are mostly women, in low-paid mahi.  

People in Aotearoa believe everyone deserves fair reward for our work. In 2017 we celebrated proudly when Kristine Bartlett and the unions won an historic pay increase for care and support workers that defined pay equity in our country.  

Since then, over 150,000 people have had their lives transformed by pay equity – including social workers, school administrators, teacher aides, and more. Their settlements mean dental appointments, tamariki being able to go to school camp, or being able to keep going when the car breaks down. They mean being able to stay in these jobs long-term and be there for the whānau who need them.  

Tell us your story.

Your voice can show the real cost of this cruel decision. Whether it’s your job, your whānau, or your future that’s been affected – we want to hear from you.

If you haven't already, please sign the Protect Pay Equity petition