Fenton Darien: Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Fenton Darien: Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:676;Page:21833] 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
: 
 This is one of the rare moments in the House over the last 3 years where I can genuinely say it is a pleasure to rise and speak in support of a Government bill. The Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill fixes what has been a very long-running injustice. I acknowledge again the hard work and commitment of the workers in the sector and the unions—the Service and Food Workers Union and the Public Service Association (PSA)—who have been relentless in their determination to see this issue to a just conclusion. 
The settlement represents a 4-year struggle. Sure it started in 2007 but there have been three court cases plus the threat of yet another court case. It has required the patience of thousands of workers who have been waiting a very long time for the issue to be resolved around their work on so-called sleepovers which was confirmed 4 years ago by the Employment Relations Authority as being work requiring payment of the minimum wage. 
I also acknowledge the role of IHC. It employs 6500 people half of whom do sleepovers and it has been faced with a huge liability to the extent that it was placed in statutory management. IHC told the Health Committee that it was pleased with the settlement along with the Service and Food Workers Union and the PSA. What people may not know about this bill is that it provides for a staged progression of payments for sleepovers with the full minimum wage payment due on 1 July 2013 but IHC is funding the difference so that the workers can get to full minimum wage by Christmas 2012. It has agreed to fund that difference. The unions told the select committee that IDEA Services had dealt truthfully and honestly with them and they described it as a magnificent organisation. I endorse those comments. 
I also recognise the Government’s role in this settlement. It is doing the decent thing by legislating for this at the eleventh hour. The enactment of this legislation means that these workers will get their back-pay before Christmas. 
I repeat that the bill represents a significant concession from the unions and union members. They are not getting the full entitlements that the court awarded to them. They have agreed to forgo those entitlements in the interests of moving on and in the interests of the sector and the people they care for. One of the things that the unions were very clear about during the select committee process was telling the members that although the unions were pleased with the settlement they really want to move on now because there is unfinished business in the sector. They are interested in the long-term future of the sector and getting the settlement behind them means that the other issues that have been brought to light during this whole process of their battle over their entitlement to be paid the minimum wage will now come to the fore. 
This is a low-wage sector. The workers who work in it are some of the poorest people in New Zealand and are among some of the most invisible. It is primarily a job done by women and it demonstrates the issues around pay inequity that we have in New Zealand with occupational segregation. The PSA told us about the workers who work for Spectrum Care. Spectrum Care is another disability services provider which grew out of the old Mangere hospital when we used to have residential care. Spectrum Care workers interestingly used to be paid the same as psychiatric nurses. They used to be paid the same as psychiatric nurses but during the years of labour market deregulation their wages have fallen further and further behind. 
The workers are very highly skilled and dedicated but there is no formal recognition of their skills. There are no mandatory competencies required for the job and because it is a low-wage sector there has been an increasing reliance on poor migrants to do the job just as there is in aged care because the job is unattractive to New Zealanders. It is tough demanding work and we should not underestimate the amount of personal commitment and sheer love that goes into this work nor should we take it for granted. 
As the Minister of Health has mentioned not only IDEA Services workers will benefit from this bill. There is provision for an extension to other health and disability providers and potentially to other sectors funded by the Crown. 
I am pleased that we are debating this bill and that it is the last piece of business before the adjournment debate and before Parliament rises. It is something to celebrate. I celebrate for the members of the union who have battled long and hard. They have faced down a very expensive court process and have had the odds stacked against them. I celebrate for the people they care for—and they care for them genuinely with love. This is one of the great moments in this Parliament. It is a good way to end this parliamentary term.