A workers' union has written an emotional open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern calling for a living wage pay for all MIQ workers.
Unite Union is calling for the Government to support the frontline workers, 90 percent of whom are women, on International Women's Day.
"Dear Jacinda, Happy International Women's Day," the letter started.
"90 percent of the hotel workers that the Unite Union represents are women. Hundreds are currently working in Managed Isolation Facilities.
"They are carrying the safety of a nation on their shoulders every single day. They are struggling with high workloads and low pay.
"The vast majority do not, and will never own a home. The vast majority can not, and will never get 'ahead' unless we do something about it."
MIQ hotel cleaners are being paid the NZ minimum wage of $18.90 per hour. But Unite Union says they deserve more, and calls for staff to get paid the living wage of $22.10.
"For months Unite Union has been writing to these hotels underpaying their staff as well as repeatedly requesting for discussions with relevant Members of Parliament and still too many workers are undervalued," the union's national secretary John Crocker says.
"MIQ workers are essential to maintaining the safety of Aotearoa and helping us 'get on with life as normal', yet they aren't even paid enough to live well by."
E tū union is also calling for better working lives for women in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"On International women's Day 2021, E tū celebrates its wonderful wahine for the paid and unpaid mahi they do in their communities."
E tū assistant national secretary Rachel Mackintosh says while women should be celebrated, we should continue to acknowledge the inequalities.
"It's no surprise that COVID-19 has highlighted many structural inequalities for women worldwide," she says.
"As challenging as it may be at times, we all need to take responsibility for calling out gender-based discrimination at work and home, and make sure women have access to rights and protections that ensure their equal participation and well-being in the societies they live in."
