Minimum wage rise leaves thousands out

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Apr 01 2009 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Minimum wage rise leaves thousands out

Wednesday, 1 April 2009, 2:35 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

1 April 2009 Media Statement

Labour MP Darien Fenton is disappointed that thousands of vulnerable contractors will not receive the $12.50 an hour minimum wage from today.

“While 50 cents an hour is a miserly increase, it is better than nothing for workers who are entitled to the minimum wage. However, there are thousands of contractors who continue to miss out on even this basic entitlement, because they are not covered by Minimum Wage laws,” Darien Fenton said.

“I am trying to change this through my members’ bill, the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Bill, but National continues to oppose it. What this means for workers employed as contractors is there is no increase in their wages today.

“To add insult to injury, most of these workers earn much less than $40,000 a year so they will receive no tax cut either,” Darien Fenton said.

"Labour believes that low paid and at risk workers must come first in these hard economic times.

“It’s time for the National Government to stand by workers who are currently denied the basic entitlement of a minimum wage and those who will be hardest hit by the recession,” she said.

ENDS

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