The New Zealand government must pay more attention to the country's working women, according to the Council of Trade Unions (CTU).

The employee organization urged the minister of women's affairs to start considering the impact of some of her government's policies on female labor market members.

Specifically, the CTU claimed that the axing of the Pay and Employment Equality Unit by prime minister John Key's ruling administration has blocked progress on the issues of pay and employment equality.

Helen Kelly, president of the CTU, explained that women make up a disproportionate number of New Zealand's vulnerable workers.

She said: "We want to see some action by the minister in three specific areas: firstly, pay equity; secondly, representation of women in decision making; and thirdly the impact of government policies on working women."

Last month, New Zealand's official opposition Labor Party suggested that migrant workers are experiencing significant employment discrimination.