Equal Pay Inquiry

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 2

Equal Pay Inquiry

The purpose of setting up a Government commission of inquiry into equal pay for women is not to recommend whether equal pay should be implemented but how it should be done, says the June “Newsletter” of the Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity.

The council believes that the setting up of a commission of inquiry would be a practical step towards resolving the present inaction on this issue, the publication says. It places on record appreciation of the action taken by the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women in recommending to the Government that the commission should be held. All organisations affiliated

: to the Council for Equal Pay . and Opportunity should show their interest by urging the Government to proceed with ’ the setting up of this comi mission of inquiry, says the i “Newsletter”—and by asking , for the terms of reference and ’ the personnel of the commis--1 sion as soon as they are avail- ’ able. There are 14 organisations , affiliated to the Christchurch ’ branch of the Council for ' Equal Pay and Opportunity, as well as several observers, [ said the branch secretarytreasurer (Mrs E. M. Aitken) yesterday. One of the main objections against the extension of equal pay to be considered by the i proposed commission would j undoubtedly be one of cost, iit says. But the writer points ! out that before equal pay was i introduced into the State I services, it was predicted that I' this would deal a crippling blow to the economy. The economic upheaval which was forecast did not occur. "Already one report estimates the cost at $BO million (to New Zealand). Figures of this magnitude are meaningless if taken in isolation. They need to be measured against other major statistical aggregates in the national economy,” the “Newsletter” says. In Australia “In Australia, it was estimated that the cost of implementing equal pay would be 3.2 per cent of the wages and salaries component of the gross national product The annual per cent in average weekly earnings at the same time for the whole economy lin Australia was 6 per cent. ! “At a hearing before the i Australian Arbitration ComI mission last year; it was pointed out that the cost of implementing equal pay would be just a shade over the equivalent of six months rise in the level of wages and salaries right throughout the nation. If, on the other hand,: the gap between male and female salaries was to be removed on a gradual basis, then the percentage cost per annum would be reduced proportionately and almost cease to be of significance. Not A Burden “In Britain the cost has been estimated at 3 to 4 per cent of the total wages bill by the end of the changeover ' period. In presenting the bill which has just been passed, Mrs Barbara Castle said: The Government believes that over the period we have laid down, industry , will be able to absorb the . cost Over all, it is likely to add no more than 3.5 ' per cent to the nation’s salaries and wages bill—- | by no means a heavy extra burden set against the , rising productivity of British industry.’ “Neither Australia nor Britain let the cost deter them—why should New Zealand?” I the “Newsletter” asks.