CTU MEDIA RELEASE
05 May 2008

Wages need to keep rising – CTU

The Council of Trade Unions says that rises in workers’ wages are welcome, but they are not being felt universally and they need to keep on rising.

“As shown in Statistics NZ wage figures out today the main reasons for wage rises were to reflect the cost of living, labour market demand for workers, and the results of collective bargaining by unions,” CTU President Helen Kelly said.

“This comes at a time when workers are feeling the cost of rising food, fuel, rent and mortgage interest rates, cost increases which are likely to continue and so wages need to keep on rising.”

The CTU believes that there is room for continued wage rises for workers despite the warning shots from the Reserve Bank, she said.

“Wage increases in the last year of 3.4 percent are at the same level as the overall increase in consumer prices.”

“The CTU is calling for a $15 minimum wage, for more workers to be covered by collective agreements so they can get reasonable wage increases, and for ongoing investment in skills, technology and infrastructure alongside improved workplace practices to lift productivity,” Helen Kelly said.

ENDS

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