Call to Include Wellington City Council’s Commitment to the Living Wage in the 2016/17 Annual Plan

Living Wage Wellington has submitted a proposal to Wellington City councillors calling for their Living Wage commitment to be included in the council’s 2016/17 Annual Plan. The proposal calls on WCC to include in the Annual Plan the three steps necessary to fulfill Council’s commitment to become a Living Wage council. The proposal has been endorsed by 26 faith groups, community organisations and unions, representing many thousands of Wellingtonians.

Living Wage Wellington is calling on the Wellington City Council to include the following steps in the 2016/17 Annual Plan:

1. Match the minimum rate paid to the council workforce to the current NZ Living Wage rate
2. Extend the Living Wage to workers employed via contractors and in CCOs
3. Put in place a plan to become a fully-accredited Living Wage employer by June 2018

“The Long Term plan has lots of ideas and a big budget for infrastructure. Let’s make sure that people are the centre of the plan. Wellington City Council can show it is a people-centred city by progressing its commitment to become a Living Wage Council,” said Paul Barber, Executive Officer for NZCCSS (New Zealand Christian Council of Social Services).

“This is not a new proposal. Councillors first voted to support Wellington becoming a Living Wage city in July 2013. Big steps have been taken towards this goal, but there is still a long way to go.
Becoming a Living Wage council and paying the Living Wage to all council staff — directly employed and those employed via contractors and in CCOs — was overwhelmingly supported in public consultation for the 2014/15 Annual Plan and the 2015/25 Long Term Plan. The Council has voted for this. The people of Wellington have backed it. Now it’s time to make the commitment to the Living Wage a reality.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media