PSA calls for commitment on pay equity on Int. Women's day
Press Release: Public Service Association Tuesday, 8 March 2011
,The Public Service Association (PSA) is calling for a commitment from political parties to address the gender pay gap.
The Pay Equity Challenge Coalition has invited 100 New Zealand women leaders to sign a pledge to strive for pay equity and to challenge the Government to 'urgently reassess its strategy on pay and employment equity with a plan to significantly close the pay gap in the next three years'. The Pay Equity Challenge Coalition launches the pay equity pledge today at a gathering of working women on Parliament grounds at lunchtime. The gathering will also pay tribute to women in Canterbury who have lost their homes, loved ones, and jobs in the devastating earthquake. "I'll be attending today's gathering and calling for a strong commitment from political parties to help win the gender pay gap," says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott. "The PSA has a long history of advancing pay equity. It lobbied tirelessly for the Government Service Equal Pay Act that was passed in 1960. "But fifty years after the passing of that law a huge gender pay gap remains in the workplace. "Before its demise in 2009 the Pay and Employment Equity Unit reported that women and men received unequal starting salaries for the same job. "Last year, a study of graduate income data by the Ministry of Women's Affairs found that a year after entering employment the average income gap between men and women with a bachelor's qualification or above was around 6 percent. After five years the average income gap had increased to 17 percent. "It is totally unacceptable that women are being paid less for doing the same job as men, especially so in a country that was at the forefront of the women?s suffrage movement," says Brenda Pilott. "The Equal Pay Act of 1972 was meant to eradicate such gender pay discrimination but it hasn't. Clearly transparency about pay in workplaces is needed for the gender pay gap to be effectively challenged. "Now is the time for that challenge to take place. It is long overdue and today, the hundredth anniversary of International Women's Day, is a fitting day to call on the Government to close the gender pay gap and value the work that women do as much it values that of men," says Brenda Pilott.Retrieved from: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1103/S00046/psa-calls-for-commitment-on-pay-equity-on-int-womens-day.htm
Making use of women's skills is key to New Zealand's future
Press Release: New Zealand Government
Friday, 11 March 2011
The Government is urging women to put themselves forward for business leadership roles, says the Minister of Women's Affairs Hekia Parata.
In a speech to "HER Business Network" in Wellington today, the Minister said New Zealand has to make better use of women's skills and experience if it is going to significantly lift productivity. "Tapping more effectively into women's potential is one of the keys to New Zealand's future growth and prosperity. "The single largest contribution to New Zealand's improved productivity in the past 30 years has come from women's increased labour market participation, but we are still a long way from making best use of women's skills in the economy and in leadership." Ms Parata said around two thirds of university graduates are now women. "But there is evidence that women graduates are paid less than male graduates and do not get promoted as quickly. This is not only unfair, it also represents missed opportunities for the businesses concerned and a waste of part of the huge taxpayer investment in higher education. "Similarly, we are not making enough of women's leadership skills and experience. For instance, 57 of the top 100 publicly listed companies do not have a single woman on their boards, despite evidence that companies with women on boards tend to be significantly more profitable than those with few or no women." Ms Parata said the Government has recognised the need for more women in leadership roles. She said the Ministry of Women's Affairs is doing some practical things to help board-ready women find suitable governance roles, including producing a unique interactive self-assessment tool called "My Board Strengths" which will be officially launched next week. You will be able to access the tool through the Ministry's website www.mwa.govt.nz.Retrieved from: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1103/S00181/making-use-of-womens-skills-is-key-to-new-zealands-future.htm
Census of Women's Participation records backward slide
Media Release: Human Rights Commission
8th November 2010
The Census of Women's Participation 2010, released today, shows that female participation in governance, professional and public life has begun to slide, erasing hard fought gains.
Equal Employment Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor said, “New Zealand is seen as a world leader in ensuring a fair go for women. Unfortunately we risk real damage to that reputation unless there is a broad commitment to genuine change.” In the public sector the 2010 Census of Women’s Participation notes that although women make up 59 per cent of public servants, but only 17.6 per cent of chief executives and experience a gender pay gap where women earn 15.4 per cent less than men. Dr McGregor said the corporate sector should be embarrassed at the lack of representation of women at governance level. Women hold only 9.32 per cent of directorships of the top 100 companies on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, a figure that has barely shifted since 2008. She said, “At a time when women are increasingly consumers, customers, clients and investors, the question we all need to ask is why boardroom doors remain shut to women?” Female representation on Government appointed boards had gone backwards, from 42 per cent to 41.5 per cent, and remained 8.5 per cent shy of the Government’s target of 50 per cent by 2010. The 2010 Census puts forward an Agenda for Change with seven key actions that will make a genuine and sustainable difference. These include: the NZ Stock Exchange monitoring the Australian gender diversity reporting and adopting it in 2012 ensuring that Government departments take concerted steps to close the gender pay gap in their workforces Identifying and mentoring the next generation of women leaders. The 2010 Census of Women’s Participation is researched and published by the Human Rights Commission every two years to help monitor New Zealand’s progress on its international human rights obligations.Retrieved from: http://www.hrc.co.nz/home/hrc/ newsandissues/censusofwomensparticipationrecordsbackwardslide.php
