The Council of Trade Unions is welcoming the introduction of the new legal minimum wage of $20 per hour from 1 April 2021.

CTU President Richard Wagstaff said, "it’s important that the $20 minimum wage has finally become a reality. "Over 170,000 Kiwis will have a pay rise, and for those who were on the previous minimum wage of $18.90, working a 40 hour week, they will have an increase of $44 a week (before tax)."

"We know that thousands of working people do not earn enough to provide for a comfortable life for them and their whanau. They are the working poor; struggling to meet the costs of basics like food and housing. Increasing the minimum wage has a real and meaningful impact on these people’s lives, but these people will still be living on the bread line."

"COVID showed us all just how crucial many jobs are to the functioning of our society, jobs in health, cleaning, on our border or supermarkets. Many of these crucial roles are poorly paid. It’s time we valued those being paid the minimum wage more, and this increase is one way of doing just that," Wagstaff said.

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