Unions reject flawed care and support pay equity review outcome as a distraction

Unions representing care and support workers flatly reject the pay equity methodology report released by Te Whatu Ora.

"From the beginning, unions and employers rejected the review as a smokescreen designed to stall the claim," says Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Assistant National Secretary Melissa Woolley.

The claim covers 12,500 workers who look after the most vulnerable in our community, and significant implications for the wider workforce of 65,000 people.

"We undertook a rigorous, systematic process that followed relevant guidance and legislation to establish and measure sex-based undervaluation. Thousands of hours were contributed by workers, unions, employers, pay equity experts, the Public Service Commission, and Te Whatu Ora themselves."

The review was instigated unilaterally by Te Whatu Ora in an extraordinary departure from the normal process in September 2023.

"The level of undervaluation a pay equity assessment process reveals is not always palatable because our economy has leaned heavily on women subsidising the cost of important and difficult care work. Just because it is not palatable to those responsible for the bill to correct the wage rates does not mean it is inaccurate." Says E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh.

"Their review was conducted without any input from even one care or support worker. The result is out of touch, and we do not consider it credible in any way. The claim has moved on significantly since this review fizzled out," Mackintosh says.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa Chief Executive Paul Goulter says the release is a distraction from what’s really at the heart of the pay equity claim.

"Already low-income workers being denied gender wage justice by these tactics designed to delay and confuse. They deserve better. They deserve proper pay equity now," Goulter says.

Woolley says the unions are extremely disappointed Te Whatu Ora released the report without advising any party involved in the claim.

"This only serves to muddy the waters while tens of thousands of workers continue to struggle to make ends meet, calling for their claim to be sorted," Wooley says.

"We are dedicated to a just solution that honours the people doing some of the most important work there is - supporting disabled whānau, older people, people experiencing mental health or addiction, and people with illness or injury to live well.

"We continue to call on Health Minister Reti and Te Whatu Ora to stop the delays and urgently provide full funding to deliver an equitable pay rates."