Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand
27 March 2017

MEDIA RELEASE: AUCKLANDERS SAY ‘YES’ TO THE LIVING WAGE

Living Wage Auckland will today present nearly 2000 submissions on behalf of Aucklanders in support of the Living Wage at Auckland Council.

Public consultation closes today on the 2017/18 Annual Plan which includes a proposal to pay 2200 directly employed and CCO workers the Living Wage of $20.20 over the current council term.

Living Wage Auckland board chair Yvette Taylor says “The large number of supportive submissions should give the Mayor and councillors confidence to implement this policy which will transform the lives of council workers and their families, as well as set the standard for wages in Auckland”

The submissions also support the Living Wage for workers employed by council contractors, however, the council’s current proposal does not include them. These workers such as security guards and cleaners are some of the council’s lowest paid and the council must take responsibility for their wellbeing too. To exclude them would also risk incentivising the contracting out of further services in order to achieve efficiencies.

“There has been huge support for the Living Wage proposal from diverse communities across Auckland. It’s now time for the Council to show leadership by implementing the Living Wage, put in plan a place for contracted workers and take a concrete step to reduce poverty and inequality in our city.” says Taylor

Details of today’s event as follows:

Living Wage Auckland invites the media to join us when we present our submissions to Auckland councillors today. The submissions will be presented by representatives of faith, union and community based streams of the Living Wage Movement. There will be short speeches by those representatives.

Date: Monday 27th March

Time: 12:30pm sharp

Venue: Outside the Town Hall under the clock tower. (If it’s raining, in the foyer of the main Queen St entrance to the Town Hall).

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