Auckland Council has met the final condition in its journey to becoming a Living Wage Aotearoa accredited living wage employer.
The Living Wage Movement executive director Gina Lockyer congratulates Auckland Council on achieving its accreditation.
"It is fantastic to award the council their accreditation at our 10-year anniversary event and recognise the journey our community and Auckland Council have been on together to get to this point."
“When workers are moved to the Living Wage, the benefits are felt at work and at home, and it's a win/ win for the council and the wider community,” says Ms Lockyer.
Auckland Council first committed to paying its direct employees a living wage in 2017. This was extended to contract cleaners in 2019. This latest milestone, which completed the requirements for accreditation from Living Wage Aotearoa, sees the living wage commitment extended to indirect council employees – those that work for the council under contracts on maintenance, security, at contracted out pools and leisure centres, and on waste services.
Chief Executive Phil Wilson speaks to his pride of the council’s commitment to a living wage and reaching this accreditation milestone.
“As an employer of more than 7,000 kaimahi, we are conscious of the contribution we make to employment in Tāmaki Makaurau and the example we can set for others.
“We began this journey in 2017, we extended it to contracted cleaners in 2019 and have worked with our contract partners and suppliers since then to include a living wage commitment in our supplier agreements.
“It is a proud moment to be able to say that we have taken our suppliers on this journey towards fairer pay, for the people who deliver vital services that keep our region running,” says Mr Wilson.
The council’s elected representatives have also been instrumental in reaching this milestone, with decision-making on budgets and endorsement of pay-related principles being an important part of decisions.
“We couldn’t have delivered this without the support of our elected representatives, many have been champions around the decision-making table as we have worked to balance budgets and support equity in our workforce,” adds Mr Wilson.
“Alongside Mayor Brown, who included the Living Wage in the Long-term Plan, perhaps one of our strongest supporters was former Councillor Efeso Collins and this milestone is a fitting tribute to him in the year of his untimely passing.”
“The council’s accreditation was announced on 6 November 2024, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Living Wage movement in Aotearoa – what a great way for us to acknowledge their mahi!”
