MEDIA RELEASE: Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota

17 December 2013

Decision to directly employ parking workers a good one

“Wellington City Council’s decision to take parking services in-house and directly employ this part of their workforce is a good decision for the existing workforce and the city,” said Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU) National Secretary, John Ryall today.

The parking services workers are members of the SFWU.

Council has today voted not to continue contracting out this service and instead to directly employ the workers.

“It is our understanding that the existing workforce will be able to move to these jobs," said John Ryall. "This is great news for our members and their families, as they will also move to the living wage, along with the rest of the Council’s directly employed workforce.”

John Ryall said this was great news for Wellington residents and visitors parking in the city, as it will ensure the parking workforce is stable, skilled and experienced.

He said the parking workers were currently paid poverty wages, work very long hours and were reliant on bonuses paid for high-ticketing rates to survive.

“Our parking warden members are working up to 70 hours a week and are on rates as low as $14.10 an hour, no matter how much experience they have. They do a tough and important job and they should be valued for their contribution to the running of the city. This move by Council values the workforce,” he said.

“Taking the parking services workforce in-house and paying them the living wage also signals that this Council is serious about addressing poverty and inequality in Wellington City,” said John Ryall.

“Last week Council took the first step, voting to move all directly-employed staff to the living wage by July and also making a firm commitment to achieve the living wage for workers employed by CCOs and by contractors. This is one way to advance the commitment that commitment.”

John Ryall said the SFWU was looking forward to working with Wellington City Council to ensure all the CCO and contract workers, in work such as cleaning, hospitality and security, were moved to the living wage in this council term.

The New Zealand living wage is currently $18.40. It will be independently reviewed early in 2014.

ENDS

© Scoop Media