Teachers’ union welcomes pay equity progress

<h4 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Progress on pay equity is a huge credit to the hundreds of women who support the learning of the most vulnerable people in New Zealand&comma; while earning some of the lowest rates of pay&comma; according to teachers&&num;8217&semi; union NZEI Te Riu Roa&period;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">The government has announced it has agreed to use new pay equity principles for the first time in pay claims from education support workers who are members of the union&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&&num;8220&semi;This progress is a long time coming&comma;&&num;8221&semi; says NZEI president Lynda Stuart&period; &&num;8220&semi;The challenge now is for the government to put its money where its mouth is&comma; and work as quickly as possible to ensure women are paid properly for their hard work&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&&num;8220&semi;Teacher aides and other education support workers help some of the most disadvantaged children learn&comma; yet are given some of the lowest rates of pay simply because most of them are women&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&&num;8220&semi;Our members welcome the government&&num;8217&semi;s commitment to pay equity&comma; but they&&num;8217&semi;re growing impatient&period; In 2017&comma; women are tired of waiting to be paid fairly&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;