GUEST BLOG: An Open Letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on International Womens Day
Dear Jacinda,
Happy International Womens Day.
90% of the hotel workers that 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.
The theme of this years International Womens day is “choose to challenge”, this year we should choose to challenge the status quo.
These workers are so brave, can we match their bravery?
The Government has shown that it can raise workers to a Living Wage. It has done so for other workers such as Security Staff at MIQ facilities. Why has it not done so for these hotel workers?
Our workers, their daughters and grand-daughters deserve to grow up in a world where women, and the work women do, is seen, is valued, and is remunerated fairly.
www.together.org.nz/lw4miq
Shanna Reeder
Unite Union
My partner woke up this morning and said to me quote, ‘I am sick of Jacinda she is only looking after Pakehas”
Are they part of the team of 5million or are they like the rest of the poor and underpaid and invisible .