CTU media release

Wellington businesses are showing their support for women’s pay equity by offering a discount – for women only – to coincide with the Pay Equity rally at Parliament on Tuesday 30 June. Because women are paid around 12 per cent less than men the businesses are all offering a 12 per cent discount to women for anything from clothes to coffee on the day.

Women will be able to buy discounted wine, flowers, hair products and books as well with Andrea Moore, Unity Books, Hair Essentials, Flowers on Featherston, Frutti clothing, Wineseeker, cafés Neo, Deluxe and Midnight Espresso, and Parliament’s very own watering hole the Backbencher all joining in to compensate women for the earnings gap.

Tuesday’s rally will involve a wide coalition of groups including Business and Professional Women, Rural Women, the Human Rights Commission, the Womens’ Studies Association, trade unions, and students’ associations. The groups are coming together to protest at the continuing inequity between women’s and men’s pay in New Zealand after more than 36 years of equal pay legislation.

CTU Vice-president Richard Wagstaff said: “It is fantastic that retailers are prepared to come out and offer their support for pay equity by cutting prices in such tough trading times as these. It shows just how widespread the feeling is that women’s pay equity is an important issue and that it is past time we saw some real action on it.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

The Pay Equity Rally takes place in the grounds of Parliament at 12.30pm Tuesday 30 June.

The full list of businesses taking part in the 12% pay equity promotion on 30 June is:

• Andrea Moore Old Bank Arcade – 20% off all non-sale merchandise
• Unity Books 57 Willis Street – 12% off all NZ women authors
• Hair Essentials The Grand Arcade,Willis St – 12% off selected items
• Flowers on Featherston 142 Featherston Street – 12% off
• Midnight Espresso 178 Cuba Street – 12% off sweet food
• Café Neo 132 Willis Street – 12% off tea and coffee all day
• Backbencher Pub and Café 34 Molesworth Street – 12% discount tbc
• Deluxe Cafe 10 Kent Terrace – $2.00 coffee for women all day
• Wineseeker 86-96 Victoria Street – 12% off any wine
• Frutti 176 Cuba St – 12% off everything!
• Iko Iko 118 Cuba Mall – 12% discount – details in store

Terms and conditions will apply – i.e. women only!

Pay Equity coalition members:

• Womens’ Studies Association
• NZUSA
• Business and Professional Women of NZ
• Human Rights Commission
• Workplace Wellbeing Project
• Working Women’s Resource Centre
• National Network of Stopping Violence Services
• Coalition for Equal Value for Equal Pay (CEVEP)
• Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)
• Rural Women NZ
• CTU
• PSA
• NZEI
• PPTA
• NZNO
• TEU
• EPMU
• SFWU
• NDU
• DWU
• Finsec
• Unite
• MUNZ
• NZMWU