“The issues which prompted women workers to take action 140 years ago are still around,” said Council of Trade Unions
vice president Darien Fenton today.
Tomorrow is International Working Women’s Day, 140 years since hundreds of women factory workers in New York City staged
a strike against low wages, long working hours and inhumane working conditions.
“Many areas considered ‘women’s work’ remain poorly paid and undervalued,” said Darien Fenton.
“One such area of work is caregiving where caring for our elderly is about low pay and gender discrimination.”
Darien Fenton said March 8 had been singled out as a day to celebrate the contribution of working women in the Aged Care
sector.
Caregivers who are members of the Service and Food Workers Union and the Nurses Organisation have invited MPs to rest
homes around the country to seek increased funding for improved pay, higher staff-to-client ratios and more training.
Other union events to mark International Working Women’s Day will take place in Wellington and Auckland.
Minister of Women’s Affairs, Laila Harre, will lead a panel of speakers at an event called Get A Life! at Loaves and
Fishes at 7pm.
Darien Fenton, Sandra Coney, women workers and Union Made choir will be at an Auckland rally to end inequality at 6pm at
Freyberg Square.
Ends