8th Jan 2019
Scrap the Minimum Wage and Replace it with the Living Wage

If New Zealand wants a society in which workers can live on what they earn, it’s time to scrap the ‘minimum wage’ and replace it with the ‘living wage’, says Closing the Gap spokesperson Peter Malcolm.

He says research figures for the living wage are based on fact not fiction, what people need to get to have reasonable living standards and certainly not what business thinks is the least it can get away with paying workers.

The minimum wage is currently sitting at $16.50 compared to the living wage of $20.20.

Mr Malcolm says his national group agrees with the recent calls by Council of Trade Unions for New Zealand to share the country’s productivity growth with those who are working hard yet earning less than what their expenses are.

Income/Wealth inequality is a serious problem in New Zealand with many negative consequences for our society and country. So as well as lifting the pay of those at the bottom we need to control the pay of those at the top.

Research has shown there is little if any link between high CEO pay and CEO performance — in fact, there’s more and more evidence the reverse is true, with better performing companies having the lowest paid CEOs.

“But let’s stop comparing our country to others and simply up our game and start thinking sensibly, and with equity, affordability and living with dignity in mind.” Says Malcolm

References:
Council of Trade Unions https://bit.ly/2TBk7EZ
Helen Roberts on high pay for CEOs https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/salaries-ceos-too-high-researcher-says

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