Source: Human Rights Commission
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner has expressed disappointment over the delay in undertaking urgentactionto address ethnic, gender and disability pay gaps across workplaces in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Government has committed to scoping a work programme on pay transparency following an Inquiry by the Education and Workforce Select Committee but failed to provide tangible timelines or concrete commitmentsto get the policy work off the ground.
“This is a delay by those who have time not to worry about poverty and hardship on a day to day.”
“I ask our leaders and policy advisors to put themselves in the shoes of a worker living in poverty – your policy priorities must reflect that you see, hear and care to respond to their urgent calls too,” said Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’iKaraninaSumeo.
“We simply cannot continue to drag our feet on pay equity while tens of thousands of children and households, especially among Māori, Pacific, ethnic minority, and disabled, continue to suffer in silence due to pay discrimination, wage theft, systemic racism and unconscious bias in the workplace.”
“Pay transparency will help us all. We know that secrecy around pay enforces sexism and racial biases and hides structural inequalities. We have legal and moral duties to eliminate this now!”
The inquiryreport by the Education and Workforce Select Committee into pay transparency recommendedthat the Government develop pay transparency measures likepublishing starting salaries in job adverts and Māori, Pacific, and ethnic pay gaps form part of any reporting measures among other policy initiatives.
“While it’s encouraging to see the Government accept the problem exists and are committed to reducing the gender pay gap – we cannot ignore that pay equity issues go beyond gender,” added Sumeo.
“I’m disappointed that the proposed policy initiatives still largely focus on the gender pay gap when in fact Māori, Pacific, ethnic minorities, rainbow and disabled workers are affected the most.”
“I am hoping to see clearer and concrete actions as part of Government’s proposed work that takes into account ethnic, and disability pay gaps.”
In February, the Human Rights Commission handed over a 4,141- strong petition to Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood calling for urgent pay transparency legislation.
The Commission has recommended that Government set up an independent agency to collect and publish pay information and provide resources for workers and employers to ensure pay equity and equal employment opportunities.
Even the current Inquiry into the Pacific Pay Gapled by the EEO Commissioner is revealing that racial discrimination and a lack of equal employment opportunities are some of the reasons the Pacific Pay Gap persists in both the private and public sectors.
“We can no longerbe complacent.So many of our workersare sharing their experiences of pay and racial discrimination in the workplace. Weeven have research that has proven commonly held beliefs that many of our vulnerable workers are being deprived of equal pay, career progression and equal employment opportunities. What more do we need to start taking the issue seriously?” said Sumeo.
“What we need now is concrete action andlegislative change so that we can reduce our ethnic, gender and disability pay gaps.”
“Pay transparency is about valuing our workers. It’s about helping create a fairer society, where everyone can achieve their full potential, be fairly rewarded for the work they do and thrive in the workplace. Surely, this is collective change that we can all get behind,” added Sumeo.
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner has expressed disappointment over the delay in undertaking urgentactionto address ethnic, gender and disability pay gaps across workplaces in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Government has committed to scoping a work programme on pay transparency following an Inquiry by the Education and Workforce Select Committee but failed to provide tangible timelines or concrete commitmentsto get the policy work off the ground.
“This is a delay by those who have time not to worry about poverty and hardship on a day to day.”
“I ask our leaders and policy advisors to put themselves in the shoes of a worker living in poverty – your policy priorities must reflect that you see, hear and care to respond to their urgent calls too,” said Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’iKaraninaSumeo.
“We simply cannot continue to drag our feet on pay equity while tens of thousands of children and households, especially among Māori, Pacific, ethnic minority, and disabled, continue to suffer in silence due to pay discrimination, wage theft, systemic racism and unconscious bias in the workplace.”
“Pay transparency will help us all. We know that secrecy around pay enforces sexism and racial biases and hides structural inequalities. We have legal and moral duties to eliminate this now!”
The inquiryreport by the Education and Workforce Select Committee into pay transparency recommendedthat the Government develop pay transparency measures likepublishing starting salaries in job adverts and Māori, Pacific, and ethnic pay gaps form part of any reporting measures among other policy initiatives.
“While it’s encouraging to see the Government accept the problem exists and are committed to reducing the gender pay gap – we cannot ignore that pay equity issues go beyond gender,” added Sumeo.
“I’m disappointed that the proposed policy initiatives still largely focus on the gender pay gap when in fact Māori, Pacific, ethnic minorities, rainbow and disabled workers are affected the most.”
“I am hoping to see clearer and concrete actions as part of Government’s proposed work that takes into account ethnic, and disability pay gaps.”
In February, the Human Rights Commission handed over a 4,141- strong petition to Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood calling for urgent pay transparency legislation.
The Commission has recommended that Government set up an independent agency to collect and publish pay information and provide resources for workers and employers to ensure pay equity and equal employment opportunities.
Even the current Inquiry into the Pacific Pay Gapled by the EEO Commissioner is revealing that racial discrimination and a lack of equal employment opportunities are some of the reasons the Pacific Pay Gap persists in both the private and public sectors.
“We can no longerbe complacent.So many of our workersare sharing their experiences of pay and racial discrimination in the workplace. Weeven have research that has proven commonly held beliefs that many of our vulnerable workers are being deprived of equal pay, career progression and equal employment opportunities. What more do we need to start taking the issue seriously?” said Sumeo.
“What we need now is concrete action andlegislative change so that we can reduce our ethnic, gender and disability pay gaps.”
“Pay transparency is about valuing our workers. It’s about helping create a fairer society, where everyone can achieve their full potential, be fairly rewarded for the work they do and thrive in the workplace. Surely, this is collective change that we can all get behind,” added Sumeo.
