As Living Wage Week kicks off, Hutt City Council is proud to announce it has gained Living Wage accreditation, joining a growing list of 300 accredited Living Wage employers across New Zealand. Hutt City Council is just the third Council in New Zealand to gain Living Wage accreditation status.

Accreditation is the culmination of a three-year journey which began in 2018 when Council resolved to pay the Living Wage to all directly employed staff. Since then Hutt City Council has been working hard to ensure all contractors are paying at least the Living Wage to their workers. That means those that repair the roads, clean the streets, and collect rubbish and recycling are paid at least $22.75 an hour.

"These are the workers who have kept our city safe, our spaces clean, and our city running through COVID over the last year and a half," says Mayor Campbell Barry.

"This is about ensuring that all our workers are fairly paid for the work they do and that Council leads the way in lifting wages and living standards across our city. It’s the right thing to do, for our people, their families and for our community and is a significant step towards ensuring people can live with dignity and enabling a city where people can thrive".

Council Chief Executive Jo Miller says achieving Living Wage accreditation is a milestone for the organisation, staff and the contractors who provide services on behalf of Council to the Lower Hutt community. "The Living Wage paid to our staff and contractors flows through to our local economy so its good for business as well and helps to drive up the standard of living for all," says Jo Miller.

Contractor to Hutt City Council, Mexted Sports Turf, says they are proud to be paying the Living Wage. "For us, paying the Living Wage is the right thing to do. In the past this might not have been possible but it is heartening to know that we have an ally in Hutt City Council who is equally willing and committed to the future and this philosophy."

Hutt City Council joins the ranks of local Living Wage employers who are leading the way, such as Open Polyte

© Scoop Media