Pay equity meetings are on now!
We are holding paid pay equity meetings for all care and support workers during September and October.
Click on the links below to see meetings for your site/area.
All members are welcome at general and online meetings, even if there are also meetings scheduled at your worksite.
Note: Meetings start from Tuesday 19 September.
Pay equity resources
Pay equity resource kit
Check out social media tiles, handouts and more!
What are we campaigning for?
E tū members working in care and support tell us their sector is in crisis. Workers are leaving for better paid, less stressful work so they can provide for their families.
We need to retain skilled, experienced workers so our seniors, disabled, those with mental health issues and others have support to live with independence and dignity.
E tū and other care and support unions, NZNO and PSA, want to see the pay rates for care and support work updated for 2023 and increased to reflect the high cost of living and the value of this essential mahi.
Where are things at?
On 1 July 2022, E tū, and other unions PSA and NZNO, filed a pay equity claim.
Pay equity claims can take years to work through due to the number of parties involved, so we have only filed a claim with 15 different employers, who are representative of companies in the sector.
When the claim is settled, the pay rises will pass on to all care and support workers – regardless of whether their employer was part of the pay equity claim or not.
History of pay equity
In 2017, more than 60,000 care and support workers achieved historic pay increases and improvements in their work conditions.
This was all thanks to the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlement Act 2017, won by E tū and other unions.
This settlement expired on 1 July 2022, but the legislation was amended to see it continue.
However, under the amended legislation, workers were only offered 3% pay rise over 18 months by the Government.
E tū and other unions then filed a new pay equity claim on 1 July 2022 to start the process to raise workers’ rates again.