Living wage for regional council staff

Greater Wellington Regional Council has unanimously voted to become a living wage employer, making it the first regional council in the country to do so.

The vote last week means the council has agreed, in principle, to pay all workers who provide it with services a minimum of $19.80 per hour.

That includes contractors who deliver services on a routine basis and staff employed by Greater Wellington’s council-controlled organisations: Greater Wellington Rail, Port Investments, and Wellington Water.

Council staff will now develop a framework for implementing a living wage by March 2017, identifying what impact it will have on ratepayers as well as the council’s future contract tenders.

Councillor Sue Kedgley, who proposed the motion to introduce the living wage, said she was delighted the vote was unanimous.

‘‘If we can afford to give wage increases to staff at senior levels, then we should be able to afford to give ... [an] increase to staff on low incomes, so that they can afford the basic necessities.’’

E tu union acting national secretary John Ryall said he was ecstatic, calling it a major step forward for the living wage movement. Workers, including cleaners and security guards, could look forward to a considerable lift in pay, he said.