A woman who lost her job due to the Covid-19 pandemic says the Government needs to do more to help other women who are now also out of work.
“I was forced to leave,” Joanne Tauroa said. “I would love to be with The Warehouse. It’s been my life for 27 years.”
She was made redundant for the first time in her life this year. Her disabled son also lost his volunteer job due to the pandemic.
“He doesn't understand why he can't put that shirt on and go back,” she said.
New Zealand’s unemployment rate has risen to more than five per cent, but women, Māori and Pasifika people have been disproportionately affected.
Over two-thirds of the 31,000 people who lost their jobs since March have been women.
“I think as our recovery builds momentum, you might see a rise in female part-time employment but the problem there is that part-time employment is often low-paid and unsecured work,” Kiwibank economist Mary Jo Vergara said.
The Government says it’s pouring billions into creating jobs through shovel-ready projects and apprenticeships, but the majority are in male-dominated sectors.
Council of Trade Unions economist Andrea Black said they would also like “a different lens to look at where women currently are and valuing them more greatly, and also looking to increase the numbers in their proportions”.
Vergara said some investment could go towards the “predominantly female-employed” health and education sectors in order to “help secure women’s employment there”.
It called for a review as it said most Government-funded study options for those who've lost their jobs due to Covid-19 are for male-dominated industries. (Source: Other)
The Government is also subsidising businesses to cover the costs of training a new worker. The money will also be available to help people start their own companies.
“We wanna make sure we maximise the number of training opportunities that are out there, especially for people who've perhaps found themselves out of work for the first time in a long time,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson said.
Tauroa said she believes the Government should look into other avenues for older women.
“I think the Government needs to look at something for women that are in their older end of life, that can no longer do the physical lifting, can do the job like the computer skills - they didn't do computer skills,” she said.
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