New Zealand’s largest private sector union says good on Auckland Council for voting to support the Living Wage, but what about contracted workers?
Auckland Council are now moving towards becoming New Zealand’s biggest employer that is genuinely committed to paying the Living Wage to its lowest paid workers. The fact that we have got them so far is a testament to the work of union members, and our friends in the Living Wage Movement, and the politicians working together to get mass public support for the Living Wage here in Auckland.
E tū campaign lead Mat Danaher says this is a big step forward, but for E tū members the question is when will this apply to contracted staff?
“The fact is if Wellington City Council can apply the Living Wage to contracted staff as part of the same process as directly employed staff. It doesn’t seem right that people are going to be paid significantly different amounts for doing the same jobs, for the same council,” Mat says.
“The evidence from the UK is that if local government does not included contracted out workers in their Living Wage commitments then it encourages council organisations to look at outsourcing of work as soon as they start looking at budgets.”
Tuaine, a contracted cleaner based in central Auckland says “I spend over two hours a day on the bus to clean up the mess left by people with drug and alcohol problems on a daily basis, I’m getting 50 cents above the minimum wage for wiping up blood and excrement, this is not a low value job. My husband and I are trying to buy a house at the moment, and I don’t know how we can. The Living Wage would make a massive difference to my life.”
Mat says “E tū members working at Auckland Live, who will be benefiting from this are delighted, but they want to see their contracted colleagues get the Living Wage as well. We ask that Auckland Council start talking with us and the contractors now, about how we can get fair pay for contracted staff in Auckland Council.”
