Nancy says that when she first received an email advising her about the award, she thought it was spam – and nearly deleted it! Fortunately, she opened the message.
Nancy started working in the health sector in 2008, and soon after became a PSA delegate.
The fight for equal pay
She began advocating for South Island DHB administration staff, after the incoming National government chose not to fulfil the previous Labour-led government’s promise to adjust pay rates for all women working in DHB administration jobs. This meant the process already underway with North Island DHBs was halted. For Nancy it was the start of another 13 years of advocacy, through two major earthquakes, terrorist attacks and a global pandemic.
In April 2018, Nancy became the Women’s Network representative on the PSA DHB Admin Equal Pay negotiating team and in June 2022 was overjoyed to see the claim finally settled. The DHB Admin claim was the first settled under the new Equal Pay Act, helping open the door for the many subsequent claims that have followed.
During her time on the Women’s Committee, Nancy has advocated passionately for Equal Pay, as well as numerous other women’s issues.
In this together
She was deeply touched to be nominated for a QSM but feels the award is representative of the efforts of many within the PSA – both male and female – who have worked tirelessly to progress the rights of New Zealand women since our union’s inception.
Nancy was pleased to share her special day with PSA delegate friends and colleagues Jeanette Wilkinson, Jaime Hewitson-Townley and Jennifer Rankin, who worked with her on the DHB Admin Equal Pay negotiating team. Team member, Debs Williams, was sadly unable to attend in person but was with them in spirit.
Nancy says there is much that is still to be achieved in the Equal Pay arena, including Pay Transparency, Equal Pay for care workers and the elimination of the ethnic gender pay gap. She is proud to continue working on these and many other women’s issues through her role on the Women’s Committee.
