they are likely to get the best work from us when we can have flexibility in the 40 hours per week we are contracted for. (S071) Research has described the excess labour that Pacific workers undertake in the workplace. Excess labour is labour that employees take on within their workplaces that is unpaid and unrecognised. Pacific workers experience both the extra labour of being ‘the’ Pacific person in the room while also negotiating white privilege alongside Pākehā colleagues or managers who resist or refuse to recognise its existence (S193). In practice, this means that a Pacific worker may be asked to do the labour of providing a culturally safe space for all Pacific employees and to provide cultural competency training for non-Pacific to engage with Pacific clients – an additional labour that may not be recognised in progression or remuneration.47 Undervaluing of Pacific peoples’ talent, labour and work experience Participants identified that a contributing factor to the Pacific Pay Gap is the undervaluing of Pacific labour. Within our three focus industries – construction, manufacturing and health – this included lack of equal pay (receiving lower pay than non-Pacific colleagues despite having the same qualifications and experience), not receiving a higher 47 duties allowance and being expected to ‘fill the gap’ without renumeration for extra labour. Lack of remuneration for higher duties Pacific participants shared stories of being asked to fulfil higher duties in their workplace without compensation or an allowance for picking up this extra responsibility and being asked to ‘fill the gap’ by completing extra tasks without being renumerated. One construction worker told us: Currently been in my role for two years now and have been doing higher duties since I started. I cover for my people leaders when they are on leave and sit in their meeting and discussion. My TL keeps promising me a TL role, but none is planned. I feel like they keep dangling the carrot and expecting me to do the higher duties for experience … here we go again. Especially when my counterpart does nothing along the lines of what I do. (S209) We heard many experiences across several industries of people taking on higher duties and not being remunerated for them. One health worker told us “I’ve been told that I’m the highest paid amongst the admin team – I did most of a manager’s job but never got paid as a manager or close to manager’s wages” (S070). New Zealand Human Rights Commission. Talanoa. Voices of Pacific peoples 67