Wellington City Council’s commitment to instituting a Living Wage has won praise from the NZ Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) at their recent annual meeting.
NZCCSS Executive Officer Trevor McGlinchey said Wellington City Council (WCC) had shown great leadership in moving to broaden its approach towards a Living Wage for its workers.
“The difference a Living Wage can make to lifting standards of living and well-being within families is substantial. It represents a direct step towards reducing poverty and inequality,” said Trevor McGlinchey.
NZCCS Council members singled out the most recent decision by WCC to extend the Living Wage to include contracted services by inviting contractors to submit tenders that include a Living Wage, and negotiating on that basis, for additional praise.
Trevor McGlinchey acknowledges that a commitment to moving towards a Living Wage approach by providers of social services can only be timed around achieving government contracts with funding levels that take account of the lowest paid – particularly those working in care and support of older people.
“What makes the Wellington City Council’s stance so praiseworthy is that it recognises a responsibility to ensure that all those who contribute to its work, whether directly employed or indirectly via contracted organisations, are treating fairly.” said Trevor McGlinchey.
“We are heartened by recent moves by the Government to recognise the time and costs of travel for home and community based carer workers, as well as the decision to enter into negotiations over pay rates for around 50,000 workers the in aged and disability care”.
“It is our hope that with the successful conclusions of the Government’s negotiations our members will soon be able to follow Wellington’s example to lift wages closer to the current Living Wage rate of $19.25 per hour”, said Trevor McGlinchey.
For further information or comment, contact:
- Trevor McGlinchey, NZCCSS Executive Officer – 027 286 9393
The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services is the umbrella organisation of the churches’ social service agencies in Aotearoa. Our members are Anglican Care Network, Baptist Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand, Catholic Social Services, Presbyterian Support NZ, the Methodist Church and the Salvation Army.