Living wage needed to address gender pay gap

The Pay Equity Challenge Coalition has joined calls today to support the introduction of a living wage as a mechanism to reduce the gender pay gap.

The Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand campaign launched yesterday brings together community and faith-based organisations and unions around a common goal of achieving a living wage as a necessary step in reducing inequality and poverty in our society.

“One of the reasons we have a gender pay gap is due to the large proportion of women in the lowest paid jobs,” says Pay Equity Challenge Coalition spokesperson, Angela McLeod.

“The women who are our cleaners, residential care workers and school support workers struggle to support their families on pay rates that are close to the minimum wage of $13.50.

“It stands to reason, that increasing that low wage to a living wage, will reduce the gender pay gap.

“If we are to ever empower our women in the workplace, we need to value their contribution to the economy by paying them fairly,” says Mrs McLeod.

“We call on the Government to be fair to women, fair to their families and fair to the economy, and to introduce a living wage.”

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