The new Government has dealt a blow to working New Zealanders with its decision to repeal Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) legislation this week.
“This government promised to tackle the cost of living, and yet this decision shows they are hellbent on removing the one thing that could have delivered better wages and conditions for hundreds of thousands of Kiwis,” says E tū Director Mat Danaher.
“National made election promises of tax cuts for low and middle income New Zealanders, but we are seeing a direct attack on all workers, in particular women, Māori, and Pasifika workers in occupations characterised by persistent low pay,” he said.
FPAs gave over 300,000 working people a glimmer of hope their lives and those of their families would improve, but security guard Rosey Ngakopu says now the race to the bottom will continue.
Rosey says “After many years of being under-appreciated and underpaid, FPAs gave us hope. Instead, our Christmas present from National is to take our hope away.”
FPA law for cleaners and security guards would mean an end to poverty wages in the contracting industry and give workers hope that basic standards of employment would prevail for all workers. That is good for workers and good for business, according to Mat.
Mat said: “The new government has deliberately ignored the advice of officials and is ramming this change through under urgency, because of an ideological opposition to the idea of workers having a say over terms and conditions.”
“This isn’t just a policy change; it’s a step back for worker rights and fair pay in New Zealand. It’s a pivotal moment for our country’s workforce, and we stand in solidarity with those whose voices are being silenced by this repeal,” he said.
So it begins..