September 02, 2015
Midwives pushed to limit
A south Auckland Maori midwife says midwives have been taken for granted and their needs ignored
The College of Midwives has filed court action against the Health Ministry for discrimination, claiming pay rates breach gender rules under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
It will present evidence from pay experts that midwives earn about 60 per cent less than male-dominated professions where a similar level of qualifications, skills, expertise and responsibility is required.
Heather Muriwai says midwives are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and when they are unable to respond through sickness or other reasons, they must pay a colleague to cover their case load.
They also have to cover the costs of equipment, consumables, and compulsory study which continue to rise while pay rates are frozen.
She says midwives’ passion for their work is being abused.
"Midwives are not going to go on strike because it is wahine me nga whanau that are going to suffer, but with that comes the presumption we will just keep putting up with everything so it is at a point now where it is a human rights issue, it is just not fair," Ms Muriwai says.
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