publication

30 AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGE As one might expect, the association is always at the forefront of current issues that affect the aged residential care sector. Right now, the big- gest policy issue that they face is the Equal Pay Case. In 2012, a caregiver in the sector lodged a claim with the Employment Relations Authority which suggested that the industry’s minimum wage was far too low, particularly because it was dominated by female employees. NZACA, on behalf of the caregiver’s employer, is play- ing a vital role in the negotiations between the government, the workers’ unions, and the mem- bers that it represents. After all, the influential NZACA is hugely impor- tant in all the policies and negotiations that affect its sector. For instance, the New Zealand