Hamilton workers join nationwide Pay Equity Amendment Bill protest

A female-dominated crowd of about 200 people stood in the rain outside Hamilton West MP Tama Potaka‘s electorate office to protest against the Government’s Pay Equity Amendment Bill this afternoon.

The controversial legislation raises the threshold for proving work has been historically undervalued when making a pay equity claim.

The bill, which amends the Equal Pay Act, was announced by Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden on Tuesday morning and passed under urgency on Wednesday night, sparking criticism from unions and the Opposition.

“These changes will mean the pay equity claim process is workable and sustainable,” van Velden said when the bill was announced.

“The changes I am proposing will significantly reduce costs to the Crown.”

Opponents say the bill will make it harder for women in female-dominated industries to make a claim.

A female-dominated crowd of about 200 people stood in the rain outside Hamilton West MP Tama Potaka’s electorate office to protest against the Government’s Pay Equity Amendment Bill this afternoon. Photo / Mike Scott

Today, protesters lined both sides of Hamilton CBD’s Rostrevor St, singing, chanting and waving flags.

Slogans on signs included “Pay fair for care” and “Our vaginas birthed you! Pay us what we’re worth!”

Waikato Unions convenor Georgie Dansey said the Government has made it harder to take equal pay claims.

“Our communities and our unions have been working towards equal pay for literally decades and to have it swiped from underneath us within 24 hours is just a real kick in the teeth.”

Community Waikato chief executive Holly Snape said the protest was a “push back from the community”.

“We’re not okay with this,” Snape said.

“This is not the way to run a country. This is not a way to value people in our communities and people who do so much of the caring work.”

Protesters rally outside Minister Tama Potaka’s electorate office in Hamilton opposing the Government’s pay equity legislation. Photo / Mike Scott

When Potaka was asked yesterday about the protest being planned outside his office, he welcomed it as “awesome” and said he would engage with any protesters if he was at his office at the time.

Protests were also scheduled in Christchurch, Thames, Timaru, Whakatāne, Invercargill, Fielding, Levin and Paraparaumu.

Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the union welcomed the “outpouring of support”.

“The changes will take money from underpaid, predominantly female workers.

“We will be relentlessly campaigning against the pay equity changes between now and the next election.”

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.