Educators join national movement for pay equity

<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2>NZEI Te Riu Roa President Lynda Stuart said it was important to keep the issue of pay equity in the spotlight and send a public message to the Government that New Zealanders wanted a fair go for every worker in every industry and sector&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p>NZEI Te Riu Roa is currently pursuing pay equity claims for a number of female-dominated groups of members – support workers employed through the Ministry of Education&comma; support staff in schools &lpar;teacher aides&comma; and then administration staff&rpar; and early childhood education teachers&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;We know parents and our local community value the work that these educators do&comma; and this day is about getting out and showing that&comma;&&num;8221&semi; said Lynda Stuart&comma; referring to the  <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;nzeimediareleases&period;cmail20&period;com&sol;t&sol;r-l-jyiiza-thhtttjjit-y&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener"><em>Fair&&num;8217&semi;s Fair Mana Taurite<&sol;em> event<&sol;a> that took place on May 5&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p><strong>Teacher Aide Andrea Andrews<&sol;strong> from Christchurch says she knows the huge difference that fair pay would make to teacher aides&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We would be able to pay rent or apply for a mortgage&comma; feed our kids and live in warm&comma; dry housing without the constant financial worry that keeps many of us awake at night&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;&lbrack;pro&lowbar;ad&lowbar;display&lowbar;adzone id&equals;&&num;8221&semi;4703&&num;8243&semi; align&equals;&&num;8221&semi;left&&num;8221&semi;&rsqb;&NewLine;<p>But pay equity is far more than this&period; It means that women and their daughters when they enter the work force will feel valued for the skills they have and what they contribute&period; It’s about being valued for what we do – striving for the best education and support for some of our most vulnerable tamariki&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Ministry of Education Communication Support Worker Denise Tetzlaff <&sol;strong>from Auckland says it is time for pay justice&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;I have worked in my role for nearly 20 years because I love that fact that I am contributing to a child&&num;8217&semi;s education and the future of our country&excl; It is high time that Women are acknowledged financially for the enormous work they do in all roles&comma; regardless of their gender&excl;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;