Today marks the start of Living Wage Week 2019 and with 171 accredited Living Wage Employers, the movement for decent wages is growing in strength and influence.

The Living Wage Movement is calling for Coalition Government parties to make good on their pre-election promises to shift low paid contracted workers in the public service to a minimum of the Living Wage, currently $21.15 per hour.

“These workers are public servants, paid by the Government, even if their pay cheques come from private contractors,” says National Convenor, Annie Newman.

“It’s time we stopped the cycle of competitive tendering where government agencies save money while private businesses make huge profits off the backs of the most vulnerable in society. It is a false economy because ultimately everyone suffers from the poverty wages paid to these workers,” Annie says.

“We are calling on all employers to step up and pay a Living Wage as one important step to improving society for all of us.”

Embracing diversity by ensuring our new New Zealanders are paid enough to build a decent life is the key message for the Auckland launch of My Life to Live, a photographic exhibition of the lives of former refugees at work at the Sir Paul Reeves building, AUT today.

Recognising wages matter in sustainable business programmes is the focus of an event by the Living Wage Movement and the Sustainable Business Network in Wellington on Wednesday, at Westpac Lambton Quay.

We welcome Blue Frog Breakfast, Property Friend Ltd and Energy Alternatives NZ Ltd as accredited Living Wage Employers this week with other big businesses to announce before the end of the week.

Living Wage networks will also be visiting government ministers this week to drive home the importance of fair tendering processes in government procurement contracts.

“There are concrete steps many ministers can be taking to eliminate poverty through their own agency’s procurement arrangements and we will be calling on them to do just that,” Annie says.

ENDS

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