Equal pay—“women’s work will be better”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33045, 12 October 1972, Page 6

Equal pay—“women’s work will be better”

Implementation of equal pay will not radically change women’s working conditions, but should improve working conditions and production in general, according to Mrs Ella Ayo in Christchurch yesterday.

“Because women are receiving more in their wage packets, obviously their work will be a lot better,” Mrs Ayo said. “A lot of people have got the idea that women will be suddenly doing the same jobs as men—lifting heavy weights and the like —which is not true. They will be doing the same jobs as they are now, but with pay equal to men.” Mrs Ayo, who is the Engineer’s Union delegate on the Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity in Auckland, and a representative on the Federation of Labour sub-committee on equal pay, was in Christchurch to speak to members of the Engineer’s Union about the implementation of it

“I have had a good response from women in the union,” she said. “A lot of them are worried that they will get the sack because of equal pay, but of course this is nonsense. They are wanting equal opportunity with their equal pay, and see the values in training and retraining.

“I think parents now want to see their children better educated and qualified, and their daughters as well educated as their sons.”

With the equal-pay legislation—the Equal Pay Bill is now before Parliament—will come a relaxation of the Ap-

prenticeship Act, giving equal opportunities for training to both male and female apprentices. Mrs Ayo is disappointed with the time taken to implement the legislation. •The legislation says that equal pay be implemented in awards made after April 1, 1973. A lot of industrial

awards expire before then, and will consequently miss having equal pay included,” she said.

The Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity in Auckland has been busy keeping the issue before the public, she said. “We have had large petitions lately, and just recently a wreath was presented to the Employers' Federation in memory of equal pay.’’ A panel discussion was held recently with two National Party M.P.s and two Labour M.P.s invited to answer questions. The National M.P.s declined the invitation but a lot of questioning was done of the Labour M.P.s on all aspects of the legislation, Mrs Ayo said. Most employers she had spoken to were for equal pay, Mrs Ayo said. “I think they realise that they will get more out of their workers if their workers are paid fairly.” Mrs Ayo has been talking to Engineer’s Union workers about aspects of equal pay in Auckland and Dunedin. She will leave Christchurch today for Wellington, where she will speak to women in the metal trades.