Working for less than minimum wage
new-zealand-labour-party
Fri Jan 21 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Working for less than minimum wage
Friday, 21 January 2011, 10:26 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Darien Fenton
Associate Labour spokesperson
21 January 2011
Media Statement
Overseas workers can’t work for less than minimum wage, so why are NZ workers expected to?
The Government is applying a double standard by allowing New Zealand disability support workers to be paid less than minimum wage, while insisting overseas workers can’t be employed in the same job because the minimum wage isn’t being paid, Labour MP Darien Fenton says.
“Since the Employment Court last year found that “sleepovers” required by Disability Support provider, Idea Services, should be paid at least the minimum hourly wage of $12.75 an hour, thousands of New Zealand caregivers have continued to be employed on just $34 for a ten-hour shift,” said Darien Fenton.
“The government, through the Department of Labour and the Attorney General, has joined an appeal of the Court decision arguing that Idea Services has been complying with the Minimum Wage Act because the Act enables averaging of the minimum wage across a pay period.
“But Immigration New Zealand is denying residency applications and work permits to overseas workers offered employment with Idea Services, citing the decision of the Employment Court and saying that Idea Services is in breach of the Minimum Wage Act.
“This has created the bizarre situation where one arm of the Department of Labour is arguing New Zealand disability support workers don’t have to be paid an hourly minimum wage, while another arm of the same department, Immigration New Zealand, is arguing that overseas disability support workers do,” Darien Fenton said.
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“The government’s double standard means that thousands of New Zealand caregivers continue to work on sleepovers for less than the minimum wage and potential overseas workers seeking work permits or residency can’t get work at all.
“The government needs to get the story straight between the Department of Labour and Immigration New Zealand.
“If Immigration New Zealand won’t grant residency and work permit applicants for skilled work with Idea Services because the minimum wage isn’t being paid for sleepovers, the government needs to apply the same standard for New Zealand workers.”
ENDS
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