the unequal experience of workplace bullying and
harassment is likely to contribute to the Pacific
Pay Gap, including in ways that are not measured
in a pay gap analysis that looks at hourly pay (for
example, periods of unemployment due to an
unforeseen resignation).
Commission and MBIE employment
discrimination data
One of the Commission’s core functions is to
respond to complaints and enquiries from the
public concerning discrimination. Our complaints
and enquiries data from 2018 to mid-2022 shows
that we received 547 complaints or enquiries
from people who identified as Pacific peoples. Of
these matters, 129 – or 23.6 percent – related to
employment.
If employees are concerned that they are being
treated unfairly, they have the option of seeking
dispute resolution or contacting the Labour
Inspectorate through MBIE. Data from MBIE’s
Employment Mediation and Early Resolution
services showed that, between November 2020
and September 2021, 6 percent of the 2,339 people
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using their Early Resolution service identified as
Pacific. This compares with less than 1 percent of
the 7,346 people using the more formal mediation
services. MBIE notes, however, that only 10 percent
of people using their employment mediation
services provide ethnicity information. This is
much lower than the 85 percent of those using
the Early Resolution services who shared ethnicity
information.
Survey data on experiences of discrimination
The Survey of Working Life conducted between
October and December 2018 found that around
300,000 employed people, or 11 percent of
workers, said they had experienced discrimination,
harassment or bullying in the previous 12 months,
most commonly because of their ethnicity.37 Asian
and Māori ethnic groups both reported a rate of
discrimination, harassment or bullying of 13 percent,
while Pacific and European ethnic groups both had
rates of 11 percent. Across all ethnic groups, women
reported higher rates of discrimination, harassment
or bullying than men.
Stats NZ. “One in 10 Workers Feels Discriminated Against, Harassed, or Bullied at Work.” June 21, 2019. https://www.stats.
govt.nz/news/one-in-10-workers-feels-discriminated-against-harassed-or-bullied-at-work.
Voices of Pacific peoples
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