By Joe Shaw of RNZ
Protesters have rallied against the government's pay-equity legislation at a post-Budget business lunch attended by Finance Minister Nicola Willis in Christchurch.
About 50 people chanted, waved banners and flags, and yelled through megaphones, as Willis entered the Addington Raceway event centre to speak to Canterbury business leaders today.
Budget documents revealed the tightening of the pay-equity regime - passed under urgency in early May - would net the government $2.7 billion every year or $12.8 billion in total over the next four years.
The changes mean workers now face a higher threshold to prove they are being underpaid due to sex discrimination. Thirty-three claims being negotiated will have to restart the process.
Public Service Association delegate and library worker Sioniann Byrnes, who is on parental leave, said the changes were an attack on the working class.
"The library assistant pay equity claim was one of the 33 that was basically stopped in it's tracks," she said.
"I think what they've done is shafted a whole lot of people, who've done a lot of robust work to try and fix pay and equity that has been going on for a long time.
"I think it is frankly disgusting."
E tū delegate Keri Makiri was concerned about the effect of the legislation on partner, two taimaiti (children) and four mokopuna (grandchildren).
"The changes are absolutely diabolical and rip the hearts out of lower-paid workers," he said.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation delegate and nurse Maree Vincent was rallying for not just the pay-equity of nurses, but also for carers and support workers.
"'We're back to square one. All we are asking is to be paid the same as our male counterparts in our jobs and the same as our nurses in our hospitals."
But inside, the Finance Minister told the audience the savings were significant.
"The government remains committed to the concept of pay-equity and, in fact, New Zealand continues to have a legislated, workable pay-equity regime for the raising of pay-equity claims and for the settlement of those claims.
"The government itself continues to have funding put aside to settle claims we anticipate will come through in the future."
Willis said the pay-equity regime had departed from addressing sex-based discrimination into issues that could be dealt with in normal bargaining rounds.
"Without teaching you to suck eggs, pay-equity is different from equal pay. Equal pay is that you and you, if you do the same job, should be paid the same amount.
"That concept is protected in law and must always be."
