Living Wage set to transform lives at Auckland Council

Living Wage Auckland will today celebrate a significant milestone in its campaign for a Living Wage at Auckland Council, with the council set to vote ‘yes’ today to a proposal to lift all directly employed staff and those employed by CCOs to the official Living Wage rate of $20.20 per hour.

The vote comes after years of campaigning by Living Wage Auckland, an alliance of faith, union and community organisations who all share the same concern about the low wages and their contribution to poverty and inequality in our city.

Living Wage Auckland secured the commitment from now-Mayor Phil Goff in front of a packed audience at St Matthew-in-the-City, during last year’s election campaign and public submissions calling for the Living Wage in this year’s annual plan showed overwhelming support from Aucklanders for the proposal.

“Councillors recognise that living in Auckland is unaffordable for workers, with costs going sky high. Councillors are playing a leadership role in our city and making a real difference to their low paid staff and their families,” says Yvette Taylor, Living Wage Auckland Local Board chair.

The Living Wage proposal will benefit a wide range of workers including, library assistants and events, hospitality and administration staff, many who currently earn close to the minimum wage.

Yvette Taylor said that community leaders from faith groups, community organisations and unions would be out in force at today’s council meeting to support councillors voting for the Living Wage proposal.

The meeting starts today at 9:30am at the Auckland Town Hall.