Oppose the gender pay gap? You should be appalled by the wage exemption for disabled workers too, argues Michael Pulman. Disabled people, and others in marginalised communities, have long been exploited for cheap, even free labour. According to a NZ Herald report, a woman who is blind is being paid a grand total of $2.30 … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Bus strikes begin in Auckland and Hamilton, secret party donations stay in the spotlight, and backlog of sex assault cases unassigned by police is rising. In transport news, the week is likely to be dominated by bus driver strikes. Some bus services in Auckland and Hamilton might … Read more
New research shows women ask for rises as much as men, but just don’t get them, and it’s an indictment of all that ‘bootstrap’ bluster about equality, writes Madeleine Holden In an interesting development for anyone with skin in the game, new research shows that female employees ask for raises as often as their male … Read more
The announcement that the female-dominated aged care work force would have its pay equalised with similar male-dominated industries seemed like a huge cause for celebration. But now, says Home and Community Health’s Julie Haggie, it’s clear the government will be underfunding the deal while still requiring employers to pay. And the effect on an already … Read more
Amidst the celebration of last week’s landmark care worker pay settlement came concerns about how future wage discrepancies will affect the mental healthcare sector. Jess McAllen reports. Last Tuesday it was announced that workers in aged and disability residential care and home and community support services will receive pay rises between 15 and 50 per … Read more
Yesterday’s news of a major settlement for aged care workers is a big win in the fight for pay equity in New Zealand. Now it’s time to close the loopholes that could prevent women with children benefitting from the deal, says Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw. In announcing that the female-dominated aged care and caring work force … Read more
Because it doesn’t get said enough, Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw has a message of thanks for all the overworked and underappreciated women of the world. Here at The Spinoff Parents our kaupapa is to love, uplift, care for, and support all parents – but especially mothers, would-be mothers, and all the women who support mothers. Our … Read more
With the equal pay conversation in full swing, Dr Catherine Trundle examines the undervaluing women’s care work in society, and the steps we need to take to demand change. Displays of overt sexism have a way of making many of us feel smugly superior. Anyone who publically utters opinions egregiously out of step with today’s … Read more
It’s a proven fact that women are paid significantly less than men for the same or equivalent work, but too many people just don’t want to face the truth. Tao Lin rebuts some of the most common ways the gender pay imbalance is dismissed. Here’s a cool party trick: bring up the fact that in … Read more
In a special edition of On the Rag, the gang travel back in time to talk about the Equal Pay Act of 1972, and how men and women are still not paid the same in 2017. We are all about Scooby Doo, Dr Hook and cords this week, as Alex, Leonie and Michele meet in … Read more
With Treat Her Right campaigning to implement the Equal Pay Act of 1972 and close the wage gap in New Zealand, Alex Casey compares the progress of the bill to the career of Karl Urban, also born in 1972. The year was 1972. Karl Urban was born. House parties everywhere were enjoying delicious cheese hedgehogs. … Read more
New Zealand has had legally-mandated equal pay for women since 1972 but, as the new Treat Her Right campaign makes clear, we still have far to go to reach true pay equality. Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw explains why the economic imbalance between genders is about a lot more than just equal pay for equal work. Last … Read more