Workers welcome better pay, conditions

Workers and unions are welcoming a lift in pay and work conditions as a result of the new Fair Pay Agreements Act.

The legislation was passed in Parliament last month to strengthen workers’ bargaining powers, particularly in sectors dominated by low pay and insecure contracts.

Fair pay agreements are agreements between workers and employers in an industry or occupation that need to set out minimum pay, overtime and penalty rates, leave entitlements, and access to training and development opportunities for the workers they cover.

The Council of Trade Unions has been running a roadshow around the country about fair pay agreements and to celebrate the passing of the legislation. It visited Palmerston North on Thursday.

The union federation’s fair pay agreements national strategic coordinator, Tali Williams, said the agreements were designed to address low pay and poor conditions, including in industries that had been low paid for too long.

The law change would benefit workers in supermarkets, hospitality, security, cleaners, early childhood and forestry, all workers who needed to be valued, she said.

Those industries had been prioritised because they were the most vulnerable. Forestry would benefit from it more with regard to health and safety regulations.

‘‘The purpose is to turn back the clock and to be negotiating on an industry-wide basis. It’s bringing up workers in low-paid industries.’’

It would create a level playing field across industries and stopped a race to the bottom, she said.

Williams said to initiate an agreement, at least 1000 signatures from people working in that industry, or 10% of the workforce, were needed. This would demonstrate to the Government that they had the support.

She said employers were realising they needed to be at the table in negotiations because if they weren’t, the Employment Relations Authority would determine the terms.

Hayley Crosse was an early childhood teacher at Te Reanga Childcare Centre in Palmerston North and believed fair pay agreements would ‘‘bring up the quality’’ for workers.

She said the agreements brought a lot of positives for the whole profession, such as better pay, minimum non-contact time and minimum child-to-teacher ratios.

She said the agreements would help lift early childhood teachers to the same level as primary and high school teachers and were ‘‘very welcomed’’ across the industry.

‘‘Employers, a lot of them are neoliberal and profit driven, which just really isn’t what early childhood is about. This is just a great opportunity to make our voice heard.’’

Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono was at the event to express solidarity with workers. ‘‘Here’s the thing: Without the environment, we don’t get the economy. Without the workers, there’s no economy. This place won’t run without the workers.’’

He said people who had been essential workers during the Covid19 pandemic were still essential workers and should be respected.