New Zealand news

On Thursday May 13, Angela McLeod, President BPWNZ was interviewed on television about women in leadership and their pay. Click on the YouTube link to see the full clip.

Want to find out the latest about Pay Equity?
Click on the link to visit the Pay Equity website: www.payequity.wordpress.com.

Pay Equity Challenge Coalition Work for Free day (PDF file 722kb)

On November 18 members of the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition gathered outside Parliament in Wellington to present the government with a bill for some $4 billion - the estimated amount owing to women to close the Pay Equity Gap. On average women are paid 12% less than their male counterparts for each hour worked. The significance of the 18 November is that it is 88% of the way through the year. With the pay gap, it means that effectively women are working for the remaining 12% of the year for free! Angela McLeod, President of BPWNZ was interviewed by TV1 Breakfast on 18 November 2009 and TV3 Sunrise on 19 November 2009. The event was also covered by TV3 News on 18 November 2009. Follow the links below to view the media clips on Youtube.

TV1 Breakfast 18 November interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6OlsB1xK5Q
TV3 News 18 November - coverage of the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition Media event at Midland Park, Wellington: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsSF2T0vJjc
TV3 Sunrise 19 November: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5TeBlWiepk

Pay Equity Media Release - 6 Nov 2009
Media release for immediate use.
Which Gender Pay Gap?

"Which gender pay gap?" asks Angela McLeod, President of the New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPWNZ), "the 12% per hour worked OR the 42% median weekly income?"

"Which one does the majority of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee think they can sweep under the carpet?" In the report released by this select committee this week it was stated that 'the majority of us have no matters to bring to the attention of the House'.

The government have acknowledged that there is a gender gap through the Minister of Women's Affairs, Hon Pansy Wong who has said that women "should enjoy equal pay and employment opportunities".

There are many pieces of research, here and internationally, stating the many ways women are disadvantaged in the workplace including the findings of the Department of Labour's Pay and Employment Equity Unit (now defunct) and the Ministry of Women's Affairs publication 'Indicators for Change'.

New Zealand has also signed international agreements such as CEDAW, ILO Convention 100 and MDG 3, all of which outlaw pay inequity.

"We are not meeting our international obligations".

"The Minister is right when she says "the gender pay gap is clearly one of the main challenges we face" but the government is wrong to dismiss, in a one page statement, 15 808 signatures asking the government, among other things, to develop a strategy to eliminate the gender pay gap in New Zealand" states Mrs McLeod.

Ends

For more information or to schedule an interview please contact Angela McLeod on 027 497 2761.

Pay Equity Update from Sue Moroney (PDF file 16kb)

The Media Release of 18 September (PDF file 13kb)

Pay Equity Speech (PDF file 14kb)

White Ribbon Day (PDF file 150kb)

Click here to download the Media Press Release 30 June 2009 (PDF file 12kb)

Many of you will remember Judi Klein who attended our conference in Hamilton – an amazing young woman. Below is a transcript of her email she sent to BPW on her return from the Global Young Leader’s Conference and attached is a copy of her full report – with pictures (attached is her email as a word document and her report as a PDF).

Information for New Members

Our founder Lena Madison Phillips said:

What a member must do

"Individuals who are without office, chairmanship, or other special responsibility usually underestimate their importance to the club's programme network. Too often each considers her part done by the payment of dues and a single appearance upon the programme. She feels free to attend meetings or to stay at home, to come late and leave early, to complain, criticize and behave generally like a disinterested onlooker. Such an attitude reveals a dangerous misconception. The members of any club are the most important and should be the most vital part. To express their will, to do their bidding, all else exists. Without their interest, comprehension, forceful activity, the organisation is but an empty shell."

Angela Mcleod, BPWNZ 1st Vice President attended a celebratory breakfast for the Quality Flexile Work Legislation, held in Wellington on a cold and frosty morning on 1 July 2008.
Click here to display Angela’s speech (PDF file 4.4kb)

Click here to display the Quality Flexible Work Speech (PDF file 31kb)

Click here to display the Media Release 6th November 2006 (PDF file 13kb)

Empowering Women