CPI Stats Show Need for $15 Minimum Wage

CPI Stats Show Need for $15 Minimum Wage

“Todays’ announcement of a 5.3 percent increase in CPI over the past year will be no surprise to low-paid cleaners, caregivers and other members of the Service and Food Workers Union on rates as low as $13.50 an hour,” said union National Secretary John Ryall today.

The Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota represents 23,000 union members.

“Our members are struggling and increasingly they are telling us they are going without,” said John Ryall.

“The human face of the low pay, high cost of living combination is forcing our members to live in cold houses, scrimp on the family groceries and go without school trips and sports events for their children.”

John Ryall said the devastating impact of rising cost of living on ordinary working families meant that the minimum wage must be raised immediately to $15.

“Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders do not bring home a living wage. We need a $15 minimum and changes to our work rights law to enable to unions to negotiate a living wage for their members,” he said.

ENDS

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