Minimum wage workers hours not for tinkering with
Minimum wage workers hours not for tinkering with
The Government should be increasing the minimum wage not fiddling with changes to hourly calculations that will just benefit low-paying employers, says Labour’s Associate Spokesperson for Labour Issues Darien Fenton.
"Simon Bridges’ latest proposal to change the Minimum Wage Act and allow employers to average wages over a fortnight rather than the current weekly period, is really about getting minimum wage workers working more hours for less pay.
"The 8-hour day, 40-hour week is fast disappearing.
“This latest change would require the removal of the protection in the Minimum Wage Act which requires that employers must at least have a worker’s agreement to work more than a 40 hour week.
"This is the only remaining protection around hours of work in New Zealand law - apart from meals and rest breaks which the Government is also planning to remove in legislation before Parliament.
"Penalising our lowest paid has always been a National hobby horse. Sadly Simon Bridges’ proposal only repeats that.
“A Labour Government would ensure our most vulnerable workers have the protections they deserve.”
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