The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is pleased to support the #NotAnotherWinter campaign, which calls on the Government to take urgent action on pay transparency.

The campaign, which was launched by Mind the Gap this week, calls on the Government to close the pay gaps experienced by women and ethnic minorities.

The NZCTU officially became an Allied Organisation of the Mind the Gap campaign in June.

“Pay equity is one of the biggest issues facing working people in Aotearoa,” said NZCTU National Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges.

The #NotAnotherWinter campaign highlights the hardships experienced by New Zealanders during the coldest season, and how these hardships are compounded by unequal pay.

In their most recent report, Mind the Gap said reporting on pay gaps would have a positive influence.

MindTheGap co-founders, Jo Cribb and Dellwyn Stuart say overseas experience shows that making it mandatory for businesses to report their pay gap can have an immediate, positive impact on workers' pay packets, once the legislation is announced.

“Analyses of public pay gap reporting impacts overseas shows mandatory reporting can reduce gender pay gaps by between 20-40 percent. Applied to a New Zealand context, it means a woman earning the current median wage in New Zealand ($26.37) could receive $12.80 - $35.77 a week more,” says Dr Cribb

“So, while we are delighted the government has agreed to address the pay gap as a priority, it is urgent to do something now.”

The NZCTU said introducing pay gap reporting will help empower the most vulnerable communities in Aotearoa.

“As a country, we can help improve the wellbeing of our working people with simple steps such as pay gap reporting. We look forward to working with the Government to see this become a reality,” said Ansell-Bridges.

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