Calculated annually by Living Wage Aotearoa, this figure is enough to cover basic living costs like housing, food, and utilities, with a little left over so that a person can buy their whānau gifts, maintain their health, and put money aside.

However, thousands of New Zealanders currently make life work on less. The current living wage is $5.45 higher than the minimum wage – which if you work full-time, is a difference of $307 in your weekly pay packet.

THE LIVING WAGE HELPS COMMUNITIES THRIVE

Local government – including city and district councils – have been big proponents of the living wage movement. Especially in more rural areas, councils are major employers and can make a big difference to community wellbeing when they pay their people a living wage.

But in the current political environment, where central government is putting more pressure than ever on their local counterparts to save money, the living wage is at risk of being put in the too-hard basket.

WE GET WHAT WE PAY FOR

People, just like pipes, need to be paid a decent wage. And, just like infrastructure, you get what you pay for. Workers who are not stressing about how they’re going to pay for their kid’s shoes or dog-tired from working a second job, are better workers. Better workers make for better services for local communities – whether that be rubbish collection, running the library, or repairing roads.

INVESTMENT, NOT A COST

In the long-term, paying people enough to live properly means less churn for local government. Retaining workers with specialist knowledge of their mahi and the local region is crucial for councils wanting to operate efficiently and effectively.

At the end of the day, the living wage is not a cost, but an investment, and one that will help to keep council budgets down in the long run.

WELLBEING IS NOT OPTIONAL

Local government organisations that have adopted the living wage see it as a commitment to their community’s wellbeing.

The living wage does not, after all, give people enough to live a life of luxury. We’re talking being able to pay for an unexpected bill without stress, not a bach on Waiheke and international holidays every year.

Paying people enough to live a life of dignity is a pretty low bar and one that all employers in New Zealand should look to clear.

Local government staff are also people living in the communities councils serve. More money to go around especially smaller or more rural places means a higher level of wellbeing and a more resilient local economy for small businesses.

AOTEAROA’S FIRST LIVING WAGE CITY, SEVEN YEARS ON

Wellington City Council was the first local government entity to become an accredited Living Wage Employer in 2018.

It was championed by councillors as a way of making the city more inclusive, including the PSA’s National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, who at that time served as a councillor for Wellington’s Paekawakawa/Southern Ward.

Today, Wellington City Council employs just over 200 people on the living wage.

“Wellington City Council recognises the importance of the Living Wage and the impact this can have on the quality of life for our kaimahi,” Chief People and Culture Officer Meredith Blackler says.

“The Council is proud to be a Living Wage accredited employer and continues to be committed to providing the Living Wage as our minimum rate of pay and increasing this rate of pay annually in line with advice from Living Wage Aotearoa.”

VOTE FOR THE LIVING WAGE

As the economy has tightened, the popularity of appearing fiscally conservative has risen. Politicians are trying really hard to look like they can save the country money – at least in the short-term.

The living wage (and workers’ rights in general) could become a political football in this year’s local elections. If you’d like to see the living wage retained as part of your local council’s budget, make sure you vote for candidates who believe in it. If you’re not sure, ask them!

Communities where people can comfortably afford the basics are thriving communities.

This local election year, make sure you vote for a council that has committed to a living wage, and keeps wellbeing and investment in its people at the heart of what it does.