Promise of jam tomorrow takes the cake

A claim by Minister of Finance Bill English that average wages will climb by $7,500 over the next four years is a cynical promise of jam tomorrow by a government whose record on wage growth is atrocious, Labour spokesperson on labour issues Andrew Little says.

“This government never talks about the bottom 50 per cent of wage and salary earners because they are the ones who have done it toughest over the last few years with their incomes either static or going backwards.

“Nearly a fifth of the workforce is dependent on tax credits to make ends meet because their wages are so low.

“Rising food costs, power bills and interest charges are starting to put severe pressure on a growing number of households and, for most, wages simply aren’t keeping pace.

“Bill English is doing everything he can to make it harder for working people to negotiate their fair share of a growing economy and improving productivity by destroying protections for collective bargaining and making workplace laws even less fair.

“And let’s not forget, it was Mr English who proudly boasted that low wages in New Zealand would help big overseas businesses.

“Working New Zealanders can be sure that this government has no intention of ensuring any wealth generated in the economy will find its way into their pay packets. Claims in the Budget of significant wage growth should be treated with great scepticism.

“Labour is committed to economic transformation to lift the national income and modernise the mechanisms for wage setting in this country so economic gains are fairly shared,” Andrew Little said.

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