CEO gets $3million, workers get nothing

Global Mayday Protest begins at Queen Street’s JB HiFi – CEO gets $3million, workers get nothing.

Unite, the union that represents over a hundred workers in JB HiFi, will be holding a protest outside the Australian owned company’s flagship stores in Queen Street, Auckland, tomorrow at 1pm and wellington at 12 noon. The pickets are part of a Global of Action to mark International Workers Day, or Mayday, where workers and the trade union movement take to the streets.

“ Australian electronic retail giant JB Hi-Fi’s net profit after tax is expected to be A$117 million to A$120 million this year. There hasn’t been an increase on the base rate for 3 years, and most JB Hi-Fi workers are now only paid 75 cents above the minimum wage” said Unite Campaigns Officer Joe Carolan.

“Workers are falling behind, at the same time as their CEO, Richard Euchtritz, earns over A$3 million a year. These workers are looking for a 50c pay increase, but Mr Euchtritz has dismissed this pay claim as ‘absurd’. Workers doing the same job in Australia are paid almost double, and at the same time this company calls our workers’ pay claim absurd, they are expanding by opening a new store in Palmerston North.”

“Our union has just collected over 150,000 signatures in support of low paid workers like those in JB Hi FI getting a Living Wage of $15ph. There will be a loud and colourful picket line outside JB Hi Fi on Queen St tomorrow, where people from the community will stand in solidarity with the low paid. We want to send a message to Mr Euchtritz that tens of thousands of Kiwis support JB Hi Fi workers getting a fair go.”

The union has also organised a Mayday Party for a Living wage that night in Auckland to celebrate the work done by volunteers for the Living Wage Campaign, at the Bluestone Rooms in Auckland’s Durham Lane. Reggae legend Tigi Ness and his band Unity Pacific will be joined by Tuhoe Hip Hop act Shine Forum and Latin American band Call Latina.

ENDS

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