Unions to hold public webinar on cancelled care and support workers’ pay equity claim

The PSA and NZNO will host an online discussion on Thursday, 1 October, examining the cancellation of the care and support workers’ pay equity claim, the evidence behind it and what could happen next.

The Public Service Association (PSA) and New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) are inviting workers and members of the public to a webinar examining the cancelled care and support workers’ pay equity claim.

The 45-minute event will bring together union representatives and other speakers to discuss how the claim was developed, the financial implications of a settlement and the steps the unions believe are needed to resolve it.

Angela Meyer and Tania Dommett, who feature in Project Gender’s ShortChanged podcast, will host the discussion.

Unions say evidence of undervaluation remains

The PSA says evidence gathered for the claim identified undervaluation of care and support work of between 24 and 38 percent.

PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the cancellation had not changed the evidence underpinning the claim.

“The evidence did not change when the claim was cancelled. Care and support work is undervalued,” she said.

The union is calling on opposition parties to commit to settling the claim within the first 100 days of a new government, based on the undervaluation identified through the earlier process.

NZNO delegate Lisa Marriner said aged care workers, most of whom are women, continued to face financial pressures despite the importance of their work.

“Cancelling the claim didn't make the undervaluation go away. It just left these workers waiting again for the fairness they were promised,” she said.

The 24 to 38 percent figure represents the unions’ account of the claim’s findings. It is not an agreed or implemented pay increase.

What will the webinar cover?

The panel will examine three areas: the evidence used to establish the alleged undervaluation of care and support work; what equitable pay could cost and its potential economic and fiscal effects; and how a future government could progress a settlement.

Angela Meyer, co-founder of Project Gender and co-host of ShortChanged: The Pay Equity Investigation, said the issue was one of meeting an existing obligation.

“Pay equity isn’t a bonus. It’s the bill,” she said.

The event will present the unions’ examination of the cancelled claim and their proposed way forward.

Webinar details and registration

Date: Thursday, 1 October 2026 Time: 3pm to 3.45pm (New Zealand time) Location: Online, via Microsoft Teams

The panel will feature Angela Meyer and Tania Dommett as hosts, alongside Melissa Woolley and Nanette Cormack from the PSA, Glenda Alexander from NZNO, and Clint Smith of Victor Consulting.

Registration: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/6c96f2d2-608b-4b7c-a601-a980760bc221@8c569da5-634d-405d-9a50-007f3e11ebec 

The webinar is open to those interested in hearing the unions’ account of the claim and their proposed next steps.