The announcement by the Government that it is scrapping the Department of Labour's Pay and Employment Equity Unit is a chance to put forward to cabinet the legislative changes that are needed, say the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) who has been demanding equal pay for equal work since 1896.

"Equal pay for equal work has always been high on the NCWNZ agenda and with women earning an average of 12% less than men, there is still considerable distance to go."

NCWNZ agrees with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in its concern that women in New Zealand are not currently protected from discrimination and its recommendation that the Government enact and implement comprehensive laws guaranteeing the substantive equality of women with men in both the public and private sectors, in regard to equal pay and equal opportunity.

NCWNZ National President Elizabeth Bang is disappointed by the disestablishing of the Pay and Employment Equity Unit.

"Pay Equity is a topic NCWNZ has worked hard on for over a century and we will continue to do so until the day when equal wages are paid for equal work"

If the Government fails to implement the changes recommended by the UN, it stands to further alienate women.

It is not sufficient to say that good employers will redress the equity problem; NCWNZ wants all employers to remediate the current situation, or for there to be a penalty for those who do not.

Not all members of the Council supported the Pay and Employment Equity Unit. The argument against this Unit was not about the value or importance of the work they undertook, rather the "pedestrian-pace" and lack of full commitment to abolishing the century-old exploitation of women labour.

"Now that pay equity is back on the agenda, NCWNZ calls for changes in the law that will protect women and reduce the gender pay gap", concludes Elizabeth Bang.