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Min wage bill to be debated

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Min wage bill to be debated

3News NZ

David Shearer says families can't manage on $13.50 an hour

David Shearer says families can't manage on $13.50 an hour

Parliament is going to debate a bill that would raise the minimum wage from $13.50 to $15 an hour.

Labour MP David Clark's bill has been drawn from the members' ballot and there will be a first reading debate on it within three or four weeks.

The Government has previously said it opposes raising the minimum wage by that much because of the impact it would have on the economy.

Labour leader David Shearer says families can't manage on $13.50 an hour.

"We have to be careful in these tough financial times but we also have to think about what's good for New Zealand," he said on Thursday.

"Many families on the minimum wage simply aren't making it."

The bill won't get through its first reading without support from National and its support parties ACT and United Future, which isn't likely.

NZN

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Comments

27/07/2012 5:53:16 p.m.

elisha wrote:

The most pathetic and hugely costly NZ benefit scam is the Ministerial Cost of Living/Paye SCHEME/inc. the only government assured TAX PAYER FUNDED retirement SCAM. for life = 000000s per ex M.P per annum. But kiwis still vote these conmen into power... or did they ?

27/07/2012 2:11:53 p.m.

adam wrote:

Austrian School of Economics is the furture!!!! Neo-cons like John Key are criminal$.

27/07/2012 9:37:07 a.m.

Thomas wrote:

If it is so hard then our government leaders should not be given any payrises until our lower income citizens who are in gainful employment are given top ups (trhough funds sourced from ungiven payrises) that bring their household income in line more with median household incomes.

27/07/2012 7:16:13 a.m.

Wiseacre wrote:

It is abhorrent that people should be expected to have to slave away for 40 hours per week for mere subsistence wages. It needs to be made clear to the public that it is not possible to live on the minimum wage. We effectively have a wage system that is worse than slavery. As a slave you were at least housed and fed. It is not possible to do that on the minimum wage – it needs to be topped up by other taxpayers through various subsidies and handouts. We currently have the perverse situation whereby taxpayers are subsidising employers to pay disgustingly low wages. A person should not have to work 40 hours a week for just food and shelter in this day and age.

27/07/2012 6:55:42 a.m.

Brent wrote:

I am happy to bring the min Wage to $16 an hour in compromise extend the 90 day trail to 180 days with a review of attended days @ 90 days, 1 year notification of conceivement of a child would be adequate in return for 26 weeks parental leave on condition of drug test at employees cost for my piece of mind, Driving Fines during employment period to be removed by the state in full rather than weekly payments,

26/07/2012 8:00:05 p.m.

Steve wrote:

When put into context .One thousand workers getting one dollar an hour equals $40,000. The top executives in many of the major companies would get double ,triple plus in bonuses that amount .Greedy companies exploiting the vulnerable.Cleaners, labourers truck drivers ,Fast food staff ,shift workers , shop assistants etc are now all getting the minimum wage regardless of hours (shift work) and conditions .Top excutives reduce staff costs ,pat themselves on the back and get a bonus or a payrise at their expense of their low paid staff .It is apparent in NZ the lowest paid seam to work the hardest and and are open to poor conditions compared to the middle to upper income NZ .Perhaps these people opposed to raising the minium wage should see how the other half lives . Also I am not a Labour party lefty but a fair minded New Zealander.

26/07/2012 6:30:13 p.m.

Bobby wrote:

I don't think people realise how much B.S one has to put up with whilst slaving away at their $13.50 an hour job. Be it getting on your hands and knees and scrubbing filthy public toilets or having to thank a customers and tell them to have a nice day for having a raging fit and blaming you for something that is quite obviously beyond your control (maybe something as stupid as eftpos or ezi-pay being down or something that the company doesnt sell and its all the checkout operators fault) All the while spending hours studying for exam after exam at Uni or Polytech to find a job where they're trated a hell of alot better. So yeah, I think an extra $1.50 an hour in the pocket would put a smile on anyones face and make them a little happier in their job because it certainly isn't "easy money" as some of you closed minded idiots think :)

26/07/2012 5:05:21 p.m.

kiwi wrote:

The greedy capitalists have a cunning plan. Its called profiteering at the expense of anyone. 1. Have financial interests in as many businesses/companies as possible. 2. Pay workers as little as the law allows. 3. Manipulate social development and employment laws to suit this end.. ie: force beneficiaries to take up work on govt funded employer kickstart plans in as many personal business ventures as possible. 4. This is a win win win. 5. Only pay half of their pitiful wages. 6. Double tax them. 7. Also hack into their dismal benefit. 8. Receive a govt kick back for business. 9. Be lorded by the gullible masses as social heroes.

26/07/2012 3:43:01 p.m.

NZDAN007 wrote:

So what about all the folks PRESENTLY on $15 an hour, will they all go to $16.50 an hour as a result of this? No way, don't give people a payrise with the stroke of a pen, they haven't earnt it! Everyone has a chance to earn good dollars, everyone can get a better job or go to uni. If you put other things first in life and end up with a low paying job, that shouldn't be problem of business owners to foot the bill!