2017 is an important election for the Living Wage Movement. Central Government must step up!
The councils are on a roll: Wellington City Council is set to become the first accredited Living Wage employer ensuring all workers, including contracted staff, are paid no less than the Living Wage; in September Auckland Council begins the journey to a Living Wage for all directly paid workers across the council and its CCOs; and, last week Christchurch City Council committed to directly paid employees moving to a Living Wage.
Now we are saying to candidates in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington:
- That you support and promote the Living Wage being implemented for all those employed in the core public service within 12 months of the new Government being formed.
- That you support and promote changing government procurement policies to ensure that all contracted workers, who are delivering a regular and ongoing service to the core public service, move to the Living Wage within the next term of government.
- That you support and promote the new Government developing an ongoing relationship with Living Wage Movement Aotearoa/New Zealand through an Advisory Group in order to champion the Living Wage throughout the NZ economy and oversee implementation.
It’s affordable, as researcher Catriona MacLennan says in her important report: Paying a Living Wage in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2017 – how the Government can do it. This is in the information section of this website.
The Equality Network Election Statement 2017 outlines three key ideas for a fairer country, ideas that should be enacted immediately.
- Income for all that provides the necessities of life through a Living Wage and fairer income support;
- A Government-funded house-building programme to help address the housing crisis and provide everyone with healthy, affordable homes with long-term tenure; and
- A tax on very high levels of wealth and higher top tax rates on the highest incomes to ensure that everyone contributes their fair share and enables our families and whānau to thrive.
For more go to http://www.equalitynetwork.org.nz/