Source: Radio New Zealand
Council of Trade Unions’ annual Mood of the Workforce survey showed incomes are falling even more behind on the cost of living. RNZ
A major union-backed survey shows more workers reporting their incomes are not keeping up with the cost of living.
The Council of Trade Unions’ annual Mood of the Workforce survey showed nearly 60 percent of the more than 3000 surveyed saying their income had fallen behind the cost of living, compared to nearly 50 percent last year.
CTU president Sandra Grey said workers were not coping.
“People are saying if their car breaks down ‘we’re in real trouble, we won’t be able to get to work, and we won’t be able to afford to fix it,’” Grey said.
“People are also saying ‘I can’t afford decent food for my children’ — so this is really dire.”
Grey said she had “no doubt” workers were struggling in the economic environment due to job losses and the cost of living.
On workplace health and safety, just over 70 percent felt they were able to have a say on the issue, while 29 percent did not.
Some haven’t received a pay rise in five years
The survey showed union members were more likely to receive annual pay rises.
Of those who received a pay rise in the past year, nearly 50 percent were members, while 42 percent of were non-members.
However, the survey also showed some workers had not received a pay increase in more than five years.
Of those who had not received an increase in that period, 10 percent were non-union members, and just over 3 percent were union members.
“That is absolutely staggering,” Grey said, referring to those who had not received a pay increase in five years.
“How do you go an pay for your groceries if you haven’t had a pay rise in five years? How do you make sure you can give your kids the shoes and the coats they need when it comes up to winter,” she said.
Grey said the reality was for some workers, both things were becoming harder.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
