Monday, May 16, 2005
A fair wage regardless of gender
There is something disturbingly ironic about the fact that the new Minister for Women will be carrying out the role without a ministerial salary. Clearly, her first campaign has to be on the issue of equal pay.
Comments:
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The fact of the payment was not the issue as you will see if you re-read my comment. It was the symbolism. As for Deputy Ministers in the Assembly, then once we have a defined role for them I will be happy to support payment.
I know what the spin is. In fact if you clicked onto the hotlink you could read it first hand.
The problem when I was Deputy Minister was that there was no clearly defined role. The definition I was referring to however was a technical matter.
Essentially, the House Committee is working on clearly defining duties and responsibilities and then enshrining these in Standing Orders together with a limit on numbers. Once this has been done then we can make a case to the SSRB for a salary to be allocated to the post.
The problem when I was Deputy Minister was that there was no clearly defined role. The definition I was referring to however was a technical matter.
Essentially, the House Committee is working on clearly defining duties and responsibilities and then enshrining these in Standing Orders together with a limit on numbers. Once this has been done then we can make a case to the SSRB for a salary to be allocated to the post.
Yeh, whatever.
I am not advocating that Ministers are unpaid as you suggest, rather the opposite.
As for Deputy Ministers in the Assembly it does seem straightforward doesn't it? But if we are to pay them, which I believe that we should, then we need to make a case for the Senior Salaries Review Board.
That means enshrining the post in standing orders, defining responsibilities and delegations and making a ruling on how many there can be. It is a technical issue not a political one!
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I am not advocating that Ministers are unpaid as you suggest, rather the opposite.
As for Deputy Ministers in the Assembly it does seem straightforward doesn't it? But if we are to pay them, which I believe that we should, then we need to make a case for the Senior Salaries Review Board.
That means enshrining the post in standing orders, defining responsibilities and delegations and making a ruling on how many there can be. It is a technical issue not a political one!
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