input, refusing to offer training opportunities and requesting workers to do possibly unsafe tasks to increase productivity.255 MBIE’s 2018 report also found that there was limited Pacific cultural competence among managers.256 It makes recommendations for the uptake of cultural competency training and professional development and support for the embedding of culturally relevant health and safety skill development in education and training more generally. Like research on Pacific workers’ experiences of the construction industry, research into Pacific workers’ experiences in manufacturing of racism and precarity is meagre compared to the focus on culture and communication issues. Furthermore, despite the manufacturing industry having more gender parity regarding participation than other main industries that employ Pacific peoples, there is a lack of qualitative research into Pacific women’s experiences of the manufacturing industry – the majority of participants in targeted industry studies are Pacific men. Despite the centrality of the manufacturing industry to the Pacific workforce as a whole, there is little research specifically focused on Pacific workers’ experiences of it, possibly due to the growth of the Pacific workforces in other industries. 5.4 Pacific peoples’ experiences in the workplace: healthcare 2013 study mapping the Pacific healthcare workforce, some notable experiences of Pacific immigrant nurses were raised.258 For instance, a nurse with 12 years’ work experience in Samoa failed a compulsory English language test and was declined employment at a DHB. She eventually accepted care work that paid less than half of a nursing salary while she retrained to gain entry to a DHB position. Another nurse told of wanting to move to Australia because there are more Pacific workers, they are paid better and it is easier to find work.259 These experiences highlight industry-wide issues regarding low pay.260 5.4.2 Racism and Pacific peoples in healthcare While there is some research on the composition of the Pacific healthcare workforce, there is little qualitative research documenting the experiences of Pacific healthcare workers. This lack of research on the healthcare sector is noticeable compared to research on the manufacturing and construction industries. This may suggest gender bias in the literature where there is less focus on femaledominated sectors compared to male-dominated ones. However, the little research that exists suggests that Pacific workers’ healthcare industry experiences are characterised by racism.261 In particular, racism is embedded in recruitment practices that create hostile workplaces and lower pay equity, reducing retention and progression rates for Pacific workers.262 The suggestion is corroborated by cross-industry research that indicates that lack of access to a Pacific mentor figure is a significant barrier to Pacific workplace progression.263 5.4.1 Immigration and Pacific peoples in healthcare Immigrant workers make up a large proportion of Pacific nurses, with approximately 31.6 percent of Pacific nurses having first registered overseas.257 In a 255 Department of Labour, In Harm’s Way, 39-41; New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Talanoa, 27. 256 Pacific Perspectives, Evaluation of the Puataunofo Programme, 24. 257 Pacific Perspectives, Pacific Health Workforce Service Forecast, 55. 258 Pacific Perspectives, Pacific Health Workforce Service Forecast, 62. 259 Pacific Perspectives, Pacific Health Workforce Service Forecast, 62. 260 Came et al., “Ethnic Pay Disparities,” 77-78; New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Talanoa, 25-26; The Southern Initiative, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, and Auckland Co-design Lab, Pacific Peoples’ Workforce Challenge, 10. 261 Came et al., “Ethnic Pay Disparities,” 73, 78; Pacific Perspectives, Pacific Health Workforce Service Forecast, 53. 262 Came et al., “Ethnic Pay Disparities,” 73; New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Talanoa, 25. 263 Industry corroboration: Equal Employment Opportunities Trust, Specifically Pacific, 41, 43; Auckland Co-design Lab, The Attitude Gap Challenge, 90. The need for Pacific mentors: Came et al., “Ethnic Pay Disparities,” 79-80; Equal Employment Opportunities Trust, Specifically Pacific, 41, 43. Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry Literature Review 35