After years of campaigning, Living Wage Porirua has broken through to secure a commitment to a Living Wage for all directly employed workers at the council.

The City Directions Committee has voted to take this first critical step towards becoming a Living Wage Employer following our Movement’s relentless campaign of delegations, submissions, forums, letters and attendance at festivals and events in Porirua.

It is a testimony to the broad-based organising model of the Movement, where community, union and faith groups come together to fight in common cause for a more just society.  It is a testimony to the relentless determination of the local Porirua Living Wage network to turn around a council resistant to paying its own workforce a Living Wage.

The Porirua victory is an important signal as our networks plan their campaigns for the 2019 local government elections.  Many councils are stepping up to pay directly employed workers a Living Wage so the focus turns to the low paid contracted workers, who should not struggle to pay their bills as they deliver public services funded by public money.

The Living Wage for 2019 is 21.15 and this will come into force on September 1.