Pay mental health workers fairly

Mental health workers need to be paid fairly so that droves of people don’t leave the sector while it is in crisis, the Green Party said today.

“The Government needs to act quickly to ensure that mental health workers are being paid fairly, otherwise essential staff will choose to leave to work in better paid sectors,” Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said.

“Mental health work is a female dominated industry but that is no excuse to continue underpaying staff.

“The mental health sector is under sustained pressure on all fronts. People working in mental health are underpaid, overworked and dealing with more patients with fewer resources.

“The Government forced the unions to exclude mental health workers so that the care and disability support worker pay settlement could happen. It was the only way for these workers to get a pay increase, but it has created huge discrepancies across the sector.

“Staff doing mental health support work are paid $6 an hour less than aged care and disability support workers doing similar jobs, sometimes with the same employer.

“The Government created this problem and now they need to fix it. The Green Party supports resolving this claim urgently. We do not believe the country can afford further delay.

“The Green Party announced on Saturday at a pay equity rally that in Government we will proactively identify why women are being paid less and fix it. We need to remove barriers to pay equity to make sure all women are paid fairly.

“Women have been underpaid and undervalued for too long – it is time for a bold government move on pay equity,” Ms Logie said.

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing New Zealand.

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Health Announcements

Story

Free prescriptions important step forward

The Green Party is today welcoming free prescriptions.

Greens welcome life-saving treatments for rare disorders

The Green Party welcomes the news that Pharmac will fully fund Spinraza for people under the age of 18.

Monkeypox elimination plan is essential

The Green Party is calling on the Government to listen to public health experts and commit to an elimination strategy for monkeypox.

Migrant healthcare workers need fair pay as well as residency

Migrant nurses, aged-care and support workers need fair pay as well as equitable pathways to residency, not half-baked measures from National.

Nurses could face pay cut under National

A National Government would leave nurses behind, the Green Party says.

Budget 2022: Greens MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere says wins for health not enough for Māori or Rainbow

Today Greens Te Mātāwaka Chair and Health Spokesperson, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere, said “The Greens have long campaigned for an independent Māori Healt...

Story

Government must end benefit sanctions and cancel debt

The Government needs to end benefit sanctions, cancel debt to the Ministry of Social Development, and immediately lift benefits, says the Green Party.

Liveable incomes needed

With benefit changes coming into effect tomorrow, the Green Party is calling on the Government to lift benefits to liveable levels to make sure eve...

Child poverty stats show need for action

The Green Party is calling on the Government to immediately provide more support to families doing it toughest.

Govt must urgently wipe MSD debt

The Green Party is calling on the Government to clear debt people are being forced into by MSD, and support those doing it toughest.

Additional cyclone support needed for people

The Green Party welcomes the relief funding announced today and calls on the Government to go further by providing additional direct support to peo...

Greens call for Civil Defence Payment to be doubled

The Green Party is today calling on the Government to double the maximum Civil Defence Payment for Aucklanders affected by flooding.