25 cents won’t do it

Media release from the National Distribution Union

January 27, 2010

25 cents won’t do it

The National Distribution Union has slated the 25 cent an hour increase in the minimum wage announced by the Government today.

NDU General Secretary Robert Reid says the Government has missed an opportunity to assist low income workers make ends meet, and stimulate the faltering economic recovery, by putting more money in workers pockets.

“It is time to call a stop to low waged workers subsidising their employer through receiving wages that cannot even cover the most austere of family budgets,” he says.

“The Government has said it wants to close the wage gap with Australia but this will see us drop further behind.

“Our union represents thousands of low wage workers who are sick of excuses for holding wages down. When the economy is doing well they are told it would be inflationary to pay them enough to live on and when it is not doing so well they are told businesses can’t afford to pay them properly.

“Too many New Zealand employers are stuck in the pattern of short sighted thinking on pay rates that has seen us fall so far behind Australia. This is not going to change unless the Government takes a real leadership role by substantially lifting the minimum wage.”

Mr Reid says the NDU will continue to back the Unite union initiated referenda campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour immediately and keep lifting it until it reaches two thirds of the average wage.

ENDS

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