VP Issues Update - Red Bag Day

Kia ora koutou,

This year, women will work until 31 January to earn the same as men did the previous year. We call this 'Red Bag Day' because women are 'in the red'. Based on progress the past three years, New Zealand will close the gender pay gap in 2043. Many women will have progressed half of their working life in that time.

The good news, this is an improvement over prior years - where Red Bag Day sat around the first half of February. More info is available in our 2024 explainer: https://www.bpwnz.org.nz/post/what-is-red-bag-day-all-about

My update this month is is going to get a little technical from here - bear with me - we like to be accurate!

At BPW NZ we look at the gender pay gap using the methodology developed by the The Coalition for Equal Value, Equal Pay, which uses average hourly ordinary time earnings.

We consider pay rates per hour as the best indicator of fair pay. Other calculations use median hourly rates - however this discounts very high earners and very low earners. Very high earners are disproportionately white males, CEOs for example. Those on very low pay are disproportionately ethnic minority females.

In other news...

A video recording of our oral submission to the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill is available below. A quote from our submission reads "This bill, and its proposed principles, undermines the foundation of our nation. The rhetoric around this bill has fanned the flames of division. Racism has clearly increased, rather like when sexist and misogynistic attacks online increase when women are appointed to leadership positions."

Thank you for the support of members in preparing the written and oral submission on this important matter.

Ngā mihi,

Siobhan Dilly