Protesters outside Addington Raceway, where Finance Minister Nicola Willis addressed business leaders. Photo: Nathan McKinnon/RNZ
Protesters have rallied against the government's pay-equity legislation at a post-budget business lunch featuring 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.
Public Service Association delegate and library worker Sioniann Byrnes, who was 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.
Protesters make their voices heard. Photo: Nathan McKinnon/RNZ
"I think it is frankly disgusting."
Byrnes hoped her four-month-old daughter, whom she was holding at the time, would not have to deal with the issue of pay equity in future.
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," she said. "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."
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 pay-equity changes meant workers would face a higher threshold to prove they were underpaid, because of sex discrimination.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis addresses Christchurch business leaders. Photo: Nathan McKinnon/RNZ
Inside, Willis told the audience that 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."
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