Bunnings to pay staff living wage
Hardware chain Bunnings has committed to pay its staff the Living Wage of $20.55 per hour.
The move will see the majority of the retailer’s 4000 staff get a pay increase of $2, the equivalent of $80 extra per week for fulltime workers.
Bunnings joins large firms NZXlisted energy company Vector and Tuaropaki Trust in paying staff the Living Wage.
First Union retail, finance and commerce secretary Tali Williams said the move was unprecedented for the retail sector.
“This is a massive victory for retail workers in New Zealand. No longer will they accept being paid low wages,” Williams said. “Bunnings has set a new bar for what retail workers deserve to be paid.”
The pay increase comes off the back of the union’s Worth It campaign, which seeks to lift the pay rates of New Zealand’s lowest-paid staff.
Bunnings HR director Jacqui Coombes said the company initiated the wage offer to “provide market leading entitlements”.
“Our team is our biggest asset and providing an environment where they are rewarded and feel valued is really important to us,” Coombes said.
Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sam Huggard said Bunnings’ move to pay its staff $20.55 per hour was a win for workers.
“[This] is an example of what can be achieved by people in unions campaigning for fair pay and decent lives,” Huggard said.
“No matter what you do, everyone is worth a wage that allows you to live healthily and participate in society. It’s the future for business in New Zealand.”
A total of 100 accredited businesses pay the Living Wage in New Zealand, most small-to-medium-sized enterprises. Some other large businesses, such as Mainfreight, pay the Living Wage but are not accredited.