A self-employed electrician is being praised for his efforts to address New Zealand’s gender pay gap.
An Auckland tradie has been praised for taking a stand against the gender pay gap after introducing a 12 per cent discount for female customers.
“It feels like a natural thing to do,” electrician Brad Kul wrote on Twitter, “see a problem and do what you can do fit it,” he added.
Invoice to a female client. It feels like a natural thing to do, tradesman like, see a problem and do what you can to fix it. pic.twitter.com/v0ln7RXiul
— Brad Kul (@Brad_Kul) August 28, 2017
“I've been doing the discount for several months and didn't think much of it,” Kul told HRD, adding that he was surprised by the positive reaction.
The post – which has now been shared over 100 times – came just one day after a new report revealed New Zealand’s pay gap was primarily driven by sexism.
“I would say that Kiwis are largely unaware of issues like gender pay gap, until it affects them or someone they care about,” Kul continued. “For the general population life is pretty tough, and all our problems are relative, so it's really easy to overlook something that is so blatantly unfair.
“However, for educated people in management roles, I'm not sure there is an excuse. Once ignorance is ruled out, it pretty much just leaves old school sexism.”
According to the most recent data from New Zealand’s Ministry for Women, the gender pay gap currently sits at 12 per cent – just four per cent lower than it was in 1998.
However, a report released yesterday by Motu Economic and Public Policy Research claims the disparity is actually higher – resting at a worrying 16 per cent.
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Researchers also claim the gap increases to 21 per cent for those aged 40-54 and jumps to a shocking 49 per cent gap for older women.
*Brad Kul asked HRD to withhold his company’s name, explaining that he doesn’t believe social issues should be used for marketing purposes.