Latest Update
Bargaining starts on 14 and 15 May
We’ve reached another milestone in your pay equity claim: establishing that your work is undervalued when compared with comparable male-dominated roles. This month we’ll get into bargaining – it’s our opportunity to correct this undervaluation and have your worth recognised.
This first bargaining sessions will be on 14 and 15 May.
This is an exciting step, with a lot of hard work to come. Read on to find out how you can get involved to support this round of bargaining.
Wear purple on 14 and 15 May to show your support
In 2021, library workers and their supporters wore purple mark the second anniversary of the claim. It was an awesome show of support, and we want to see that again as bargaining gets underway.
Wear purple to work on 14 and 15 May to show your support for our bargaining team. We’ll take pictures of everyone and share them on social media, like we did in 2021.
We’ll host bargaining update webinars in late May and early June
Once this first bargaining session is over, we’ll host webinars to update you on how it all went, and to answer your questions. We’ll also launch the next actions we’ll take to support the claim.
We’ll record the webinars and use your questions to expand the FAQ section of this page, so you’ll be able to access the information even if you can’t make the webinars.
We’re aiming to host these in late May and early June – we’ll finalise the details closer to the time.
Background
"We are seeking pay equity to right an historical injustice. Over 80% of library assistants are women. We perform complex roles, but there is little financial reward for doing so.” - Eleanor Hagerty-Drummond, Library Assistant, Wellington City Council, PSA delegate and Library panel member
In May 2019 the PSA notified the six large urban councils that we believe library assistants working in local government suffer from illegal gender-based pay discrimination, and that they have an arguable equal pay claim under the Equal Pay Act 1972
Note: While this claim only pertains to people doing the job of library assistants, the PSA believes that all local government workers who are working in female dominated occupations are likely to suffer from gender-based pay discrimination. This includes other library workers and administration and clerical workers. Our aim is to use equal pay settlements achieved in one occupation, or in another sector, to achieve equal pay across our membership.
