E tū welcomes Bill English’s call for investment in human capital

E tū, the country’s largest private sector union, welcomes today’s comments from Deputy Prime Minister Bill English in his opening address at the Government Economics Network annual conference.

E tū National Director of Campaigning, Annie Newman says that it is positive that Mr English recognises that NZ needs to invest in human capital.

“E tū members would agree that there needs to be better investment by New Zealand employers in their staff who after all create the wealth. Where we would disagree with Mr English is that the government’s role stops at the provision of compulsory education,” says Annie.

“There is a large body of evidence including from work done by people like Charles Waldegrave at the Family Centre, as well as large employers overseas; which shows the impact of paying a decent living wage on productivity”.

“What E tū would like to see is the government setting an example by committing to a living wage for their own directly employed, and contracted workers,” says Annie.

“It is not just our members saying it, but a growing number of employers; that a living wage can increase productivity and reduce over-all costs through improved retention and staff health and wellbeing. It can also in the long-term feed into better education and health outcomes for the children of affected staff.”