Thompson faces tough period over pay comments

Under fire Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) boss Alasdair Thompson has mixed support from his members and faces public pressure to step down, following his claims that women's productivity is affected by taking sick days when having their periods.
Mr Thompson yesterday said he did not intend to resign after the uproar over his comments during a radio interview when he said there was a reason women got paid less than men.
``Because once a month they have sick problems. Not all women, but some do, they have children they have to take time off to go home and take leave,'' he said during a radio interview on Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty's bill seeking to require employers to record the gender of their employees along with pay levels.
There were immediate calls for him to resign. He received hate mail and reaction to his comments were ranked second on Twitter.
In subsequent interviews Mr Thompson said he was sorry for causing offence but stood by his overall argument.
He supported equal pay for equal work and his statements reflected the ``facts of life''.
More productive workers should get paid more and women often had family responsibilities that made them less productive, he said.
He claimed people would agree with the ``guts'' of his statements.
EMA northern president Graham Mountfort told the Dominion Post the association backed Mr Thompson and did not expect him to resign as his comments seemed outrageous when taken out of context.
However, EMA board member Laurie Margrain told the New Zealand Herald Mr Thompson's comments, as reported in the media, were indefensible and the board would meet to discuss them.
During an interview on TV3`s Campbell Live last night Mr Thompson twice walked off an interview, taking offence at the reporter's questions.
He also refused to provide documentation of his claims that women's menstruation is affecting their productivity.
The show's text message poll received 100,000 responses, 86 percent calling for him to resign and 14 percent supporting him.
Yesterday Women's Affairs Minister Hekia Parata said women made a valuable contribution and were paid less because they were under-represented in leadership, because careers were interrupted by having children and other issues.
``I think (his comments) are untrue, unhelpful and unfortunate.''
Ms Delahunty said his comments were ``utterly out of date, sexist, and inappropriate'' and she said it was concerning the Government received business advice from him.
``I am kind of tired that we should have to listen to this kind of rhetoric when we are trying to have a mature and modern debate about a long term problem,'' she told NZPA.
Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson said he appeared to have a ``brain explosion''.
But in Parliament she said that did not mean she would not listen to his advice in future.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said Mr Thompson should stand down.
``Leaders spouting this sort of crap makes it very, very difficult for women to assert themselves and to suggest there might be discrimination.''
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said the comments were outrageous and maybe it was time a woman took the helm at the EMA.