Unite congratulates Crowne Plaza Auckland, currently an MIQ facility, for making the move to paying their workers the living wage. The welcome increase will provide some relief to workers who are normally paid just above the minimum wage despite doing crucial and risky work.

The hotel advised the increase would be effective as at 24 February, and would last for the duration of their contract with MBIE.

Unite Union National Secretary John Crocker says Unite Union is pleased that Crowne Plaza Auckland is finally recognising staff’s hard work but says there are still hundreds of workers in MIQ facilities earning below the living wage.

“This is a big win for Crowne Plaza workers but as we suspected, there are many more earning less and it's not just hotel workers who have fallen through the cracks.

“We've heard from our friends at the New Zealand Nurses Organisation that many health care workers in these facilities also earn below the living wage.”

"This may surprise the public, but it shows how important the issue is and emphasises the need for a government solution.”

Mr Crocker says while Unite is glad that almost 50 per cent of hotels are now paying the living wage (or very close), the Ministries holding the purse strings need to step in and plug the gaps.

“For months Unite Union has been writing to these hotels underpaying their staff as well as repeatedly requesting for discussions with relevant Members of Parliament and still too many workers are undervalued.

“MIQ workers are essential to maintaining the safety of Aotearoa and helping us ‘get on with life as normal’, yet they aren’t even paid enough to live well by. It’s time all workers in MIQ facilities got paid decently for their extraordinary work.”

The public can support these workers by signing a petition at: https://www.together.org.nz/lw4miq

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