What NZ bosses are really saying when they scream they can’t get workers
A group of industry leaders also recently highlighted the issue claiming the country is facing a shortage of 8000 truck drivers in an open letter to Immigration Minister Michael Wood.
But despite the shortages, Andy said he quickly realised finding a job might be harder than he thought.
While he did manage to get two job offers, one fell through when he couldn’t find adequate accommodation in Auckland and the other had a job description which Andy said was very out of touch with the hours.
“I did manage to get a position, but it meant I had to relocate, and the pay was not brilliant – $24 an hour, to cover rent and fuel in Auckland.
“I would have taken it, as it’s always easier to find work when you’re already working, but accommodation fell through at the last minute and the employer needed to fill the role quickly.”
When NZ bosses scream they can’t find workers, what they really mean to say is, they can’t find workers prepared to work shit conditions for shit pay!
This constant demand from the NZ bosses to open the immigration floodgates that caused all the infrastructure and housing pain we are experiencing now is driven not by an inability to find workers, it’s driven by an inability to exploit workers.
NZ is so addicted to the low wage economy that when bosses are deprived exploiting migrant labour via the international market, they scream endlessly.
We are so addicted to International Student scams, exploiting migrant workers and hyper tourism that bosses can’t function when they are deprived it.
Luckily the greatest thing this Government has achieved, the Fair Pay Agreements, will generate dynamics that allow Unions to maximise collective bargaining and finally start pushing wages and conditions up across the board meaning bosses will only continue screaming.
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Worker shortages are found in the UK and many European countries and Australia . It is not down to just low pay covid forced many to change their working life and for some they will not go back to heir old life . Wages play a part but it seems many have found they can survive on less hours worked nd spend more time with the family .
At the end of the day this situation comes down to greed, even avarice, on the employers part. I don’t blame Kiwi workers turning down poor wages and poor conditions, so the bosses can fill their coffers at the workers’ expense!
I look forward to the day, when Kiwi workers regain their bargaining power.
I see Christopher Luxon has stated if National becomes the next government (God help us!), it will review the recent Fair Pay Agreement! I hope workers will keep this point in mind when they vote next year.