The Coalition Government should mark Human Rights Day by agreeing to end all gender and ethnicity pay discrimination in the health sector, says the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO).

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says today is Human Rights Day and it’s is a good time for the Government to do the right thing.

"Evidence before the Wai 2575 from our Māori workforce highlighted structural discriminatory practices in the health sector.

"Our members who work for Māori and Iwi health care providers face a double whammy - both gender and ethnicity discrimination.

"It’s time for the Government to be the change.

"For too long nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora have been the victims of gender-based wage discrimination. It is almost 2025 and undervaluing women-dominated workforces should be relegated to the history books.

"They deserve to be paid the same as their colleagues in other parts of the health sector and at least the same as men in occupations the require the same or similar skills, knowledge, effort and responsibilities

"It’s time for the Government to show its respect and gratitude for the work done by the female dominated nursing workforce - including kaimahi hauora," Kerri Nuku says.

NZNO has pay equity claims being investigated for our nurses, caregivers and support members in aged care, laboratory members and nurses who work for Plunket, hospices, primary practices and urgent care centres, and district nursing services outside of Te Whatu Ora.