Uncovering poverty in Parliament — today

Parliamentary cleaners who are members of The Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota will host a lunch for Parliamentary media today, Wednesday 5 October.

The lunch will take place ahead of The United Nation's annual International Anti-Poverty Day on October 17 and International Anti-Poverty Week 16 – 22 October and. Anti-Poverty day aims to raise awareness of the causes of poverty and the solutions.

SFWU Industry Leader Jill Ovens said the cleaners would talk about life on $13.50 an hour, cleaning up Parliament and what they’d like to see on the political menu.

“As the Parliamentary term comes to a close, our members are taking this opportunity to highlight the fact that, even in Parliament there are workers earning poverty wages who struggle to feed their families and pay their bills,” said Jill Ovens.

“This disgrace is caused by political policies and can only be addressed by political action.”

The cleaners will be joined and supported by church and social justice leaders and MPs from a range of political parties including Phil Goff and Metiria Turia.

Parliamentary cleaners’ lunch
Labour Caucus Room
12 noon Wednesday 5 October

© Scoop Media