The Green Party are proposing a package that ensures they are paid a dignified wage so they do not live in poverty, said Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson this week, adding, “Throughout the COVID crisis, we have all relied on the essential workers on the frontline. The people who stack shelves, care for our most vulnerable in rest homes, and transport goods around the country, risking their own health in doing so.”
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“People like those working in supermarkets, rest homes, and driving public transport have made their worth clear. They deserve a wage where they can live with dignity. That’s why the Green Party is proposing changes to ensure these heroes are paid fairly.”
How would it work?
The Green Party is proposing three steps to bring all essential workers’ pay up to a wage that reflects the work they do.
“Firstly, the Government needs to introduce legislation to enable Fair Pay Agreements as soon as possible. These Agreements will be a set of sector-specific minimum employment standards covering wages and working conditions. Essentially, it sets a fair framework for negotiations between employers and unions, which once agreed upon, become legal requirements for all people working in that sector.”
“For those working in the public sector, we should make provision to increase pay for the lowest paid public sector workers, including those with jobs funded by the public sector, to ensure everyone is on a living wage.”
“We should set up a hospitality sector working group. This would bring employers, unions and Government around the planning table to get the industry on a more sustainable footing going forward.”