Women’s Day of Action for Pay Equity – NZCTU

This Saturday 20 September, 132 years after women secured the right to vote, thousands of women and allies across the country are taking to the streets to rise up against the Government’s gutting of the pay equity system.

Unions, women’s organisations, and community groups have come together to organise the Women’s Day of Action for Pay Equity, a nationwide celebration of working women whose rights are under attack.

More than 20 events are being held from Whāngarei to Invercargill including marches, rallies, family friendly events, and community gatherings.

“132 years after women secured the right to vote in Aotearoa, we gather again in strength and solidarity,” said NZCTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges.

“Government has cancelled pay equity claims that would have eased the cost of living and lifted pay for more than 180,000 people. These are the people who provide the services that make life possible, such as schools, libraries, hospitals, aged care, and disability support.

“On Saturday we will make it clear that pay equity will be a central issue at the next election. No government can dismantle pay equity – we have won it before, and we will win it again.

“This is more than a protest – it is a celebration of the women who nurture, lead, and resist. It honours the suffrage legacy and amplifies our collective power to shape the future,” said Ansell-Bridges.

Details of nationwide events: