Latest news with #PublicServiceAssociationTePūkenga
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Betrayal Of Women Over Pay Equity Laid Bare In Budget Poll - Time To Reverse Decision
A Budget poll lays bare how deeply unpopular the Government's decision to scrap pay equity rules under urgency has become. The Post/Freshwater Strategy Poll today shows many New Zealanders oppose the Government axing pay equity claims and making it harder to push for new claims - nearly four out of ten opposed the decision and just over four out of ten said the move damaged their confidence in the Government's commitment to gender equality. "The Government decided to scrap pay equity for women to pay for tax cuts for business in this year's budget - New Zealanders are seeing that plain and simple and they don't like it," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. "This was wage theft and no amount of spin by the Government has convinced many New Zealanders who see the move done under urgency for what is - a betrayal that impacts wives, mothers, daughters and their families. "It was morally wrong to cancel women's claims for pay equity without telling New Zealanders during the election or even in government, and without a democratic select committee process, but it's not too late for the Government to do the right thing by women. "This outrageous decision will keep damaging the Government - the PSA calls on the Government to settle the 33 claims it scrapped and restore the pay equity process. "That will help over 150,000 women get the wage increase they need and deserve and many New Zealanders clearly agree. "Pay equity is also critical to help many deal with the cost of living which still worries New Zealanders. The poll shows a majority don't think the Budget will help reduce pressures on the household budget from rising prices. "What's more nearly two thirds worry the Government's spending cuts will damage the public services they rely on. This is what the PSA warned all along. "The poll should be a wake-up call. New Zealanders are clearly telling the Government it is taking the country in the wrong direction, and is failing women and households. Restoring pay equity and public services would be a start." Notes The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Budget 2025: Nervous Wait For Thousands Of Public Service Workers
Press Release – PSA Cost to New Zealand women of pay equity betrayal to become clear Tomorrow's Budget will lift the lid on how much further public services will be cut and expose the cost to underpaid women from the dismantling of the pay equity process. 'Public services including our cash strapped health system cannot afford to face further cuts and job losses,' said Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons. 'More than 150,000 women have been denied the pay rise they deserve from this disappointing decision to gut our pay equity laws with no prior notice before the election or even a Select Committee process so that New Zealand women could have their say. Tomorrow's Budget will make the scale of the cost to women clear. 'We sadly predict Government will be starving many public service agencies and our health system of funds, just as they did last year, and that means further damage to the services New Zealanders rely on. 'And we will see how the 'billions of dollars' set aside to fund pay equity settlements for underpaid women, will be freed up to fund the Government's tax cuts for landlords and make the Budget numbers add up. 'This will be a mean and nasty Budget, built on taking money from care and support workers and others who had been expecting pay equity settlements before the goal posts were shifted, existing claims scrapped, all under urgency, and without a chance for their voice to be heard. 'We call on the Government to reverse all cuts to public services, fund our health system properly and put changes to pay equity laws through a proper select committee process. 'In health, the effective hiring freeze for clinical roles is putting patient care at risk, leaving health workers over worked, stressed and facing increasing risk from angry patients poorly served by the system. 'Every day we see the price New Zealanders and communities are paying for the Government's short-sighted and rushed cuts to spending. 'Just look at last week's damning report by the Auditor-General into Oranga Tamariki. Savings demanded by the Government meant the agency cut funding to hundreds of community service provider contracts, with little notice, without regard to the harm inflicted on the vulnerable children they support. 'We have a meth crisis in this country – the Government slashed resources for border protection, which has only made that problem far worse. 'New Zealanders can't afford any further cuts to public services. Too much damage has already been done.'
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Budget 2025: Nervous Wait For Thousands Of Public Service Workers
Tomorrow's Budget will lift the lid on how much further public services will be cut and expose the cost to underpaid women from the dismantling of the pay equity process. "Public services including our cash strapped health system cannot afford to face further cuts and job losses," said Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons. "More than 150,000 women have been denied the pay rise they deserve from this disappointing decision to gut our pay equity laws with no prior notice before the election or even a Select Committee process so that New Zealand women could have their say. Tomorrow's Budget will make the scale of the cost to women clear. "We sadly predict Government will be starving many public service agencies and our health system of funds, just as they did last year, and that means further damage to the services New Zealanders rely on. "And we will see how the 'billions of dollars' set aside to fund pay equity settlements for underpaid women, will be freed up to fund the Government's tax cuts for landlords and make the Budget numbers add up. "This will be a mean and nasty Budget, built on taking money from care and support workers and others who had been expecting pay equity settlements before the goal posts were shifted, existing claims scrapped, all under urgency, and without a chance for their voice to be heard. "We call on the Government to reverse all cuts to public services, fund our health system properly and put changes to pay equity laws through a proper select committee process. "In health, the effective hiring freeze for clinical roles is putting patient care at risk, leaving health workers over worked, stressed and facing increasing risk from angry patients poorly served by the system. "Every day we see the price New Zealanders and communities are paying for the Government's short-sighted and rushed cuts to spending. "Just look at last week's damning report by the Auditor-General into Oranga Tamariki. Savings demanded by the Government meant the agency cut funding to hundreds of community service provider contracts, with little notice, without regard to the harm inflicted on the vulnerable children they support. "We have a meth crisis in this country - the Government slashed resources for border protection, which has only made that problem far worse. "New Zealanders can't afford any further cuts to public services. Too much damage has already been done." The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health, and community groups.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Public Service Work From Home Policies Dispute Heading To Employment Relations Authority
Confidential mediation today failed to resolve the difference between the PSA and the government on public service work from home policies, and the issue is now heading to the Employment Relations Authority. Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, said they were dismayed to have not settled the matter quickly for public sector workers. "While we're still open to settling this matter outside of the Authority, the government is digging in its heels on its arbitrary wish to force public servants, who have performed to a high standard for years now while working from home, back into the office. "Not having working from home as the default disadvantages women, who make up 62 per cent of the public service and who disproportionately hold whanau care responsibilities. "Working from home is good for women, good for people with chronic health conditions, and good for people with disabilities. It's good for everyone including employers and even the government too." In 2018, the PSA entered in into an agreement - the Gender Pay Principles, following legal action in the Employment Court to establish principles governing work performed by women in accordance with the Equal Pay Act 1972. The follow up agreement, Flexible Work by Default, gave effect to these principles and was signed by the PSA, CTU, the State Services Commission (as it then was) and the Ministry for Women in 2020. "The fact of the matter is, the government entered into the Gender Pay Principles and the Flexible Work by Default agreements. "But then - we didn't see much care for women when the government also ripped up the Pay Equity Bill last week." Previous media statements:
