24 October 2017

Workers pleased with incoming government’s employment relations policy – FIRST Union

FIRST Union, the union representing 27,000 working people across New Zealand, welcomed the incoming government’s employment relations policy this afternoon.

“These policies show Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens acknowledge the huge economic pressure working people, especially low paid workers, have been facing for the last decade,” said FIRST Union General Secretary Robert Reid.

“Today marks a sea change. We now have a Government showing respect for working people.”

“We’re especially pleased to see the minimum wage will move to $20.00 per hour by the end of 2020,” said Reid.

“Business leaders often say the main thing they need is certainty. This announcement gives them that certainty and now they need to start factoring in significant wage increases for all their workers over the next three years.”

“The era of 2% per year wage offers is over. Employers, especially those who employ minimum wage workers, will need to be looking at increases of around 8% per year to stay at or ahead of minimum wage rises.”

“The scaremongering around job losses due to an increase in the minimum wage is just that. Around the world Reserve Banks and even the IMF and World Bank are calling for significant increases in wages to support the economy, not to destroy it.

“Our reading of the coalition agreement on employment relations is that Labour’s election policy remains either intact or is enhanced by NZ First and Greens Policy.

“FIRST Union went into the last election with its slogan of “Workers FIRST for a change”. The announcement of the Employment Relations Policy of the Coalition Government is a great start to achieving our goal,” said Reid.

ENDS

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