The Green Party is announcing it will restore pay equity law to the position it was in before Luxon's Government butchered it in 2025, along with funding a settlement for the roughly 65,000 care and support workers whose claim was stopped by those changes.
"Care and support workers look after disabled people, older people and some of the most vulnerable people in New Zealand every day, yet their work has been undervalued for too long," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.
"In government, the Greens will restore pay equity law and fund the settlement these workers need and deserve."
"Most of these workers are women on low pay. They help people shower, dress, eat and take their medication, in rest homes, in hospitals and in people's own homes."
"When a whānau relies on a carer so their nana can keep living at home, that carer's pay should reflect the skill and responsibility the job asks of them."
"These workers had already proven their work was undervalued when the Government changed the rules and told them to start again."
"The Green party will recognise that established undervaluation, set aside funding of around $1.1 billion a year for the settlement, and pass legislation to settle the claim if that is what it takes."
"The final settlement will be agreed through bargaining with the workers and their unions."
"Luxon's Government chose to try and balance its budget by stopping these claims and continuing the underpayment of these workers."
"The Greens will pay care workers because the people who care for our families should be able to afford to look after their own," says Davidson.
