E tū union national secretary Rachel Mackintosh has been vocal about the government’s controversial Equal Pay Amendment Act, which has made it more challenging for women-dominated workforces to achieve pay equity. The law change has sparked outrage among unions, with 33 existing pay equity claims being canceled, and the threshold for new claims being altered. Despite the unexpected decision by the government, plans are in motion to combat this setback and keep the momentum going.
The response to the government’s decision has been met with massive support, according to Mackintosh. Individuals from all walks of life, including an 80-year-old woman protesting outside Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden’s office, have expressed their anger and frustration. Even industries dominated by men, such as miners, have offered their support to stand in solidarity with women affected by this injustice. The sudden law change, which occurred within 48 hours without the usual processes being followed, has left many workers feeling a deep sense of insult and disbelief.
Mackintosh highlighted the complexity of the process, acknowledging the power dynamics at play but disagreeing with the government’s characterization of the legislation as “unfair, unaffordable and unworkable.” She emphasized the importance of comparing wages across industries and professions based on factors like responsibility, skill, effort, and knowledge required for the job. For example, in the case of care workers, one of the comparisons made was with prison guards, revealing a significant pay gap of roughly 20 percent. Despite progress made in 2017 following the Kristine Bartlett case, care workers still face an average wrong pay of 30 percent. Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ description of the current regime as a “Trojan Horse for a multi-billion dollar grievance industry” was met with skepticism by Mackintosh, who pointed out the underlying issue of undervaluation and the harm caused by inadequate pay.