They share the corridors with some of the most powerful people in the country but the workers who clean Parliament say they are being paid peanuts and are struggling to meet the rising costs of living.
The workers who shine the granite floors, polish the wooden interiors and scrub the toilets at Parliament joined union representatives and MPs from Labour and the Green Party in Labour’s caucus room today to make a stand against the “poverty wages” they are earning.
All general cleaners at Parliament are on minimum wage, which is $13.50, while cleaning supervisors are on $14. Today they pleaded with Labour politicians to help raise their pay to at least $15.
The Service and Food Workers Union industry leader Jill Owens, who organised the meeting with Labour MP Kris Faafoi, says the pay rates are a “disgrace”.
“Even in Parliament there are workers earning poverty wages who struggle to feed their families and pay their bills.
“This disgrace is caused by political policies and can only be addressed by political action,” she says.
Jaine Ikurere, who has cleaned the Prime Minister’s office for the last 19 years, says she loves her job but the pay is poor.
“Most of us ladies, we have got children and can’t afford to put food on our tables, we can’t afford to get clothes for the children to wear to school.
“That’s why we are here – we ask the Parliament, please can you raise our wages to $15 at least.
“We are poor and our wages are not enough to share around,” Ms Ikurere says.
Prime Minister John Key says he does not set the pay rates for his cleaners and all he could say was that “they do a good job”.
“I don’t know why their rates are set like that – they have been there 19 years, it sounds like an awfully long time. All I can reflect is that, as the customer, she does a great job,” Mr Key says.
Cleaners at the protest say they are paid just over $20,000 a year which equates to about five percent of Mr Key’s $400,500 salary and about eight percent of Labour leader Phil Goff’s $249,000 salary.
Mr Goff says the cleaners pay should be increased to $15 per hour.
“It’s not a hell of a lot to ask for. Surely people deserve a living wage…it’s another $80 for some people per week, in their pocket so they can afford the basic costs."
Labour’s Kris Faafoi, who is on a $134,800 salary, says the cleaners are some of the country’s poorest paid.
“They work with us in the corridors of power. We see their work at the beginning of every day, but not all of us see them or know their issues…they are struggling to raise families and pay their bills,” he says.
Mr Key says it is an issue for their employer.
“We try as a Government to make sure people are paid as fairly as possible. We do want to see increases to the minimum wage but balance out the risk that people might lose their jobs.
“Ultimately, that’s a matter for the Speaker, it’s not a matter for me,” Mr Key says.
Yearly salaries:
- Prime Minister - $400,500
- Deputy Prime Minister - $282,500
- Cabinet Minister - $249,100
- Non-Cabinet Minister - $209,100
- Executive Council member - $181,300
- Minister’s Under-Secretary - $161,100
- Speaker - $249,100
- Select Committee Chairperson - $148,500
- Party Whip - $148,500
- Leader of the Opposition - $249,100
- Deputy Leader of the Opposition - $171,700
- MP who is leader - $148,500
- General MP - $134,800
Although 3news.co.nz understands politicians do not necessarily work regular 45 hour working weeks, we thought it would be interesting to break down politician's pay into hourly rates for comparison.
Hourly rates based on a 45 hour working week, 52 weeks a year:
- Prime Minister - $171.15
- Deputy Prime Minister - $106.45
- Cabinet Minister - @@bodytext@@nbsp;106.45
- Non-Cabinet Minister - $89.35
- Executive Council member - @@bodytext@@nbsp;77.47
- Minister’s Under-Secretary - @@bodytext@@nbsp;68.84
- Speaker - $106.45
- Select Committee Chairperson - @@bodytext@@nbsp;63.46
- Party Whip - @@bodytext@@nbsp;63.46
- Leader of the Opposition - @@bodytext@@nbsp;106.45
- Deputy Leader of the Opposition - @@bodytext@@nbsp;73.37
- MP who is leader - $63.46
- General MP - @@bodytext@@nbsp;57.60
3 News
source: newshub archive
