Minimum wage Archive

  • Denise Roche

    Unemployment: one step forward, two steps back - by Denise Roche



    Hot on the heels of yesterday’s minimum wage increase announcement – of a paltry 50c an hour – comes the December 2011 Household Labour Force Survey quarterly report . On the face of it, the statistics indicate a steady decrease in unemployment – and no doubt John Key’s government will be pitching it in this [...] read more
    February 9, 2012 6:01 pm - 11 Comments
  • Denise Roche

    A stingy and evidence-averse decision on the minimum wage - by Denise Roche



    As I predicted in my blog post last week, John Key’s Government has announced today what amounts to a nil increase in the minimum wage – a paltry increase of 50c an hour. The nominal increase is 3.8% – but at the same time the Consumer Price Index increased 4.6% in the year to September 2011 [...] read more
    February 8, 2012 5:33 pm - 15 Comments
  • Denise Roche

    Government stuck in the ‘80s on the minimum wage - by Denise Roche



    Sometime around now, Cabinet will be undertaking its annual review of the minimum wage, which currently stands at a lowly $13 an hour. My bet is that we will see another effective nil increase, with the minimum wage being adjusted upwards no more than the level of inflation over the past year. That would be [...] read more
    January 31, 2012 1:19 pm - 59 Comments
  • Denise Roche

    Workers’ rights in Fiji - by Denise Roche



    When the Fijian military rule decided to deport New Zealand Council of Trade Unions President Helen Kelly and her Australian union counterparts yesterday they gave a clear signal that the reports of abuse of workers’ rights and the physical attacks on Fijian trade unionists are probably accurate. Ms Kelly was part of an Australian and New [...] read more
    December 14, 2011 4:15 pm - 12 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    I’m calling foul on National’s youth minimum wage plan - by Gareth Hughes



    Last week, the National Party announced policy to reduce the minimum wage for many young people. Yesterday, the most recent Department of Statistics Household Labour Force survey results were released.  It is mostly pretty grim reading.  Unemployment has gone up, and very few jobs have been created. But there was a wee bit of good [...] read more
    November 4, 2011 7:56 am - 21 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Childcare changes typical of Govt’s anti-child approach - by Metiria Turei



    Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has realised that if you’re going to work-test sole parents and force them into low-paid jobs when their children are six (or younger), someone’s going to have to look after the kids. read more
    October 3, 2011 4:39 pm - 6 Comments
  • frog

    John Key is wrong on Green plan to end child poverty - by frog



    On Wednesday Green Co-Leader Metiria Turei launched the Green Party’s plan to bring 100,000 children out of poverty within three years. John Key poured cold water on both the Working for Families and minimum wage proposals contained in the package. But he is wrong on both counts. read more
    August 5, 2011 10:54 am - 24 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Statistics, hyperbole, and hypocrisy on the minimum wage - by Metiria Turei



    Prime Minister John Key claims the Greens’ policy, now also supported by Labour, of increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour will “put 6000 people out of work.” Key maintains Department of Labour advice supports his claim.  So I had a look at the advice, contained in the Department’s 2010 Minimum Wage Review (PDF, [...] read more
    May 24, 2011 12:00 pm - 60 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Podcast: Green Budget 2011 - by Russel Norman



    Tomorrow is Budget day…and it’s looking rather bleak. John Key has signalled that this Budget is, and can only be about reining in spending through budget cuts. Lots of them. Some of them severe. But is this the only way forward from here? The Green Party have put together a package of alternative Budget initiatives [...] read more
    May 18, 2011 7:13 pm - 1 Comment
  • Catherine Delahunty

    On tour with welfare - by Catherine Delahunty



    Since March, I have been travelling to different communities to discuss issues of welfare justice in light of the Welfare Working Group‘s final report which suggests major reforms to our welfare system. So far I have met with people in Rotorua, Whangarei, Waihi and Turanga (Gisborne). Many of the people attending the meetings are community [...] read more
    May 16, 2011 4:19 pm - 13 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Right wrong on the youth minimum wage - by Gareth Hughes



    There is a renewed push from the political right to reintroduce youth rates for the minimum wage.  ACT’s Roger Douglas is trying to blame the Green Party sponsored legislation that removed the ability of Government to set a lower rate of minimum wage for young people for today’s high youth unemployment.  ACT’s new Leader, Don [...] read more
    May 15, 2011 10:45 am - 30 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Govt needs to wake up to sleepover case - by Keith Locke



    It is great news that the Government has agreed to enter into negotiations with disability support workers and their unions. read more
    March 30, 2011 2:12 pm - 2 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    New approach to minimum wage needed - by Keith Locke



    The procedure for increasing the minimum wage is all wrong. Those on it never know when it might be increased or by how much. It is at the whim of the government of the day. And the National government is quite scrooge-like. read more
    February 9, 2011 10:51 am - 32 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Minimum wage rise not enough - by Metiria Turei



    The Government has announced that the minimum wage will go up by 25c an hour, to $13 an hour, on 1 April. This is not enough. A sole parent working 40 hours a week on $13 an hour will earn just $520 per week before tax – not much to pay rent, feed kids, and [...] read more
    February 7, 2011 6:12 pm - 288 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Dodging Roger’s Bill - by Gareth Hughes



    Yesterday the National Party shot down Sir Roger Douglas’ dreams of returning New Zealand back to Victorian England by saying they will not support his Members’ Bill which would have re-introduced youth rates. It’s a rare piece of good news out of the Beehive, but let’s face it; the bill was a stupid idea to [...] read more
    March 18, 2010 12:51 pm - 12 Comments
  • frog

    Economics is not as certain as some people make out – the minimum wage - by frog



    In economics theories come into fashion, wane, get tossed onto the junk heap and sometimes dusted off and given another run around the block. For example, the minimum wage: A common claim is that wages are like any other price and as such obey the economic laws that govern supply and demand. Therefore, raising the [...] read more
    February 25, 2010 5:34 pm - 22 Comments
  • frog

    Members’ Bills – the good, the bad, and the ugly - by frog



    There were three Members’ Bills drawn from the ballot today. The good Bill is Green MP David Clendon’s Smart Meters (Consumer Choice) Bill.  It gives effect to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s recommendations to ensure all electricity meters have functionality that enables them to automatically control loads and to talk to smart appliances. It [...] read more
    February 23, 2010 3:17 pm - 28 Comments
  • frog

    A mean and silly decision on the minimum wage - by frog



    The Government, in raising the minimum wage by a paltry 25 cents an hour, seems hell-bent on maintaining massive state subsidisation of low wages. Isn’t it time employers, who profit from the work done, contribute a greater share? read more
    January 28, 2010 8:03 am - 72 Comments
  • frog

    The minimum wage - by frog



    The Government has announced a paltry increase in the minimum wage to $12.75 an hour – barely keeping up with inflation. Wouldn’t it be great if the minimum wage were indexed to the average wage, rather than subject to the political whim of the government of the day and the respective lobbying influences of the protagonists in the debate? That would give low income workers security they would at least maintain relativity with those who earn more. read more
    January 18, 2010 1:48 pm - 174 Comments
  • frog

    Nick Smith: I don’t know and I don’t care - by frog



    Nick Smith doesn’t know the most basic statistical information necessary to determine the likely extent of cost containment or the impact on claimants of going back to the 1999 work capacity policy. What’s more, he’s not even prepared to have ACC do the analysis to find out. What a shambles! read more
    December 3, 2009 9:59 am - 2 Comments
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