tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post1648807134156279606..comments2023-10-07T22:37:49.244+13:00Comments on The Hand Mirror: Pay equity letters to the editorkatyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15742280289613450293noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-74462989155597358312009-03-02T23:23:00.000+13:002009-03-02T23:23:00.000+13:00All the Nats did is defer an enquiry and a lot of ...All the Nats did is defer an enquiry and a lot of talkfests. Hardly a huge leap forward from Labour.<BR/><BR/>The Nats are not against pay equity, although I know you like to think so.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-4335155247644533202009-03-02T10:12:00.000+13:002009-03-02T10:12:00.000+13:00wasted how? by finally getting pay equity for nur...wasted how? by finally getting pay equity for nurses in a massive settlement? by significantly increasing the pay of teachers?<BR/><BR/>in fact, why don't you have a look here (the pay & employment equity page of the department of labour)-<BR/><BR/>http://www.dol.govt.nz/services/payandemploymentequity/index.asp<BR/><BR/>you'll find that those 9 years were extremely productive and that the national government wants to throw it all away. i wonder why?stargazerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430290445762377335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-57954270961997675282009-02-26T10:56:00.000+13:002009-02-26T10:56:00.000+13:00Those 9 years Labour were in power were terribly w...Those 9 years Labour were in power were terribly wasted weren't they?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-46605527691222632252009-02-25T06:42:00.000+13:002009-02-25T06:42:00.000+13:00Perhaps Dave's contacts work for the public servic...Perhaps Dave's contacts work for the public service in some other country, or perhaps they're simply winding him up. Last public service job I had (in the 1990s, admittedly) featured 3 weeks annual leave, 5 days sick leave and a salary somewhere in the 20,000s. <BR/><BR/>None of which alters the fact that CYF is almost certainly <I>not</I> paying female workers 9.5% less than their male colleagues, and people such as the letter-writer above are either being dishonest or simply fail to understand the difference between statistical averages and absolute numbers.Psycho Milthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00779500926576047736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-87248595457792984452009-02-24T22:13:00.000+13:002009-02-24T22:13:00.000+13:00Yes David I'm sure your informal conversations wit...Yes David I'm sure your informal conversations with people in your circles are sufficient to rebut extensive research by a variety of organisations such as the Equal Opportunities Commission. <BR/><BR/>My one stint as a public servant was as a library assistant. We got $12 an hour, the minimum leave entitlements (I think), and no ability to progress beyond library assistant (and that pay rate) without doing a three year fulltime or four year part time course, at our own expense. And there were a lot of grumpy buggers who always swore they had returned their library books when they bloody well hadn't. Heaven it wasn't.Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08977150346842277994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-45487512688574321222009-02-24T21:28:00.000+13:002009-02-24T21:28:00.000+13:00Anna – I have friends / family who work for variou...Anna – I have friends / family who work for various government departments, from what they have told me they have unlimited sick leave, between 5 & 6 weeks annual leave, highly subsidized superannuation, very flexible working hours , regular pay rises and the pay rates higher than in the private sector. I have not said that public servants jobs should be less secure than those in the private sector, the very nature of the public sector means their jobs will always be more secure than those in the private sector. The pay and employment conditions of the average public service employee are considerably better than those of the private sector employee. It is a kick in the teeth for me when I and the people I work with have to struggle and sweat blood to ensure the business I work for can make a profit, continue to employ 60+ people, all of whom have families while I hear public servants whining & wingeing that they wont get a pay rise of that they don't get paid the same or more than another occupational group. I very much doubt any public servant will be made redundant in the next 12 months, I cant say the same for those in the private sector.<BR/><BR/>I would agree that If CYF have a problem retaining staff (aspecally front line staff) they should paid more and/or have better work conditions. I do not believe that a male social worker will be paid more than a female social worker because he is a male. Pay equity is a myth, pay rates come down to two basic conditions, the value of the worker to the employer and the ability of the employer to pay the going rate or more to retain the services of that worker. Comparing qualifications and skills is only a small part of determining what people should be paid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-1972728223429984932009-02-24T21:01:00.000+13:002009-02-24T21:01:00.000+13:00David, the 9.5% thingy that the letter is referrin...David, the 9.5% thingy that the letter is referring to is in relation to the original article in the Herald which <A HREF="http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com/2009/02/quick-hit-pay-equity-for-women-is-just.html" REL="nofollow">we discussed here</A>.<BR/><BR/>My experience is that public servants don't have it that cushy at all, although I've never really been one myself. People seem to have a picture formed by Gliding On and Yes Minister, which is far from reality for the vast majority of those working the state sector.Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08977150346842277994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-50341917162862515182009-02-24T18:31:00.000+13:002009-02-24T18:31:00.000+13:00Eh? I think you've described the public service o...Eh? I think you've described the public service of Fairyland, Dave - that doesn't describe my situation, or the situation of any other public servant I know. If you make the correct comparison (ie appropriate skill levels) with the public sector, I think you'll find we're not as sensationally well-off as you think. You imply that public servants jobs should be made less secure. Why should anyone's job be insecure? Surely security of jobs for public and private sector employees alike should be a social goal.<BR/><BR/>As it is, CYF have a shocking time recruiting and retaining staff. That's a pretty clear market signal that there's something wrong with their pay and/or conditions.Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06076244041878300351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-41962368916361124072009-02-24T18:05:00.000+13:002009-02-24T18:05:00.000+13:00Is someone here telling us that a female social wo...Is someone here telling us that a female social worker is paid 9.5% less than a male social worker who is doing the same job?<BR/><BR/>Pay equity is a myth it cant exist except in a ideal world. As it is most public servents who already have safe jobs, unlimited sick leave, 5 to 6 weeks annual leave a year & recieve gold plated superannuation get paid much more than the average worker.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-87275506710238299522009-02-24T16:11:00.000+13:002009-02-24T16:11:00.000+13:00Yeah I thought so too Nikki! It shows the impact ...Yeah I thought so too Nikki! It shows the impact that these decisions have on men as well, as men in those female-dominated professions are disadvantaged too. <BR/><BR/>(Also any spelling mistakes are mine, as I had to type them in and for some reason my typing is all up the wazoo lately).Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08977150346842277994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8770341086445997547.post-73059200717519948402009-02-24T14:11:00.000+13:002009-02-24T14:11:00.000+13:00Go Dick and Ian! Rock on guys!Go Dick and Ian! Rock on guys!Nikki Elisabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11601782588373904490noreply@blogger.com