In June 2022, NZEI Te Riu Roa, PPTA, PSA, NZNO, E Tū and other public sector unions agreed to ask members to discuss and vote on whether to go forward with a Council of Trade Unions (CTU) initiative to negotiate with the Government for a unified pay increase across the wider public service.

No matter who you are or what kind of work you do, you deserve to be paid fairly. Our pay equity claims are about addressing the historical undervaluing in both pay and status in roles that society has perceived to be ‘women’s work’.

Gender based undervaluation has been established and bargaining for the claim will begin soon!

The Pay Equity claim for librarians and library assistants was raised by NZEI Te Riu Roa in November 2020. Investigation of the claim began in October 2021 and was completed in September of this year. Through this process, a gender neutral assessment of claimants and comparators was undertaken. The results of this investigation showed that school librarians have been subject to gender based undervaluation and the claim will now proceed to bargaining.

David Stewart was a primary school principal, an academic, a researcher, education centre director and the author of several books. He initiated and developed Te Ariki Project, a professional development programme for school principals.