E tū cleaners Liam Shaw and Mele Peaua are presented with Recognition Awards by E tū President Muriel Tunoho, for their work in the procurement campaign
There’s been a huge win for thousands of the lowest-paid workers in Aotearoa, after months of campaigning by E tū members and the Living Wage Movement. The Government has backed down from its plan to remove the Living Wage requirement from the Government Procurement Rules – a proposal that would have pushed cleaners, security guards, and catering workers back to poverty wages.
The procurement rule has been life-changing for workers who keep our government buildings running every day. Most are employed by private contractors, not directly by government agencies, meaning they have always been vulnerable to low wages due to the ‘race to the bottom’ when businesses compete to provide these services. The Living Wage requirement closes that loophole, making sure contractors can’t win government business by paying the bare minimum.
The attempt to scrap this rule came as part of a wider programme of cost-cutting across the public sector, but it quickly ran into serious opposition. Earlier in the year, a poll commissioned by E tū showed overwhelming public support for keeping the Living Wage in place – with voters from every major party opposing its removal.
At the same time, workers made their voices heard, coordinating hundreds of submissions, lobbying MPs, and sharing their stories with media across the country. Many spoke about how the Living Wage meant being able to pay rent without panic, afford decent kai, or reduce their long hours enough to spend time with whānau.
The pressure worked. The Government has now confirmed that the Living Wage rule will remain, protecting thousands of families from a wage cut and ensuring the public sector continues to lead the way on decent, fair procurement.
For the workers at the centre of the campaign, this is a win built through community strength and determined organising. Cleaner and E tū delegate Liam Shaw says the victory is proof of what can be achieved when people stand together:
“We won the fight for the Living Wage as a community, and as a community we can continue to hold firm in our beliefs and keep the Government accountable. The Living Wage is a huge step forward in changing how workers are treated nationwide, and an invaluable resource for lifting us all up to live in better conditions.
“The Living Wage is the difference between having meals or not, affording a place to live or not, keeping in better health, travelling to and from home, and so much more. Keeping the Living Wage in place stops the Government from forcing us backwards. I’m incredibly proud of this movement – let’s keep up the mahi!”