Our election asks: working life

We asked political parties about improving conditions and wages for workers across Aotearoa.

These are the questions we sent. When we get responses from the parties, we’ll add them to this page.

Will you…

Raise the minimum wage to reflect the Living wage?

Ensure the payment of at least the living wage to all public servants and people delivering government- contracted services?

Ensure public and community services workers pay keeps pace with the cost of living?

Implement the social insurance scheme?

Increase the rate of paid parental leave to a living wage?

Keep Fair Pay Agreements?

Increase funding for Worksafe to achieve the same inspector ratios as Australia?

Strengthen union involvement in workplace health and safety?

How will you…

Address bullying, harassment and psychosocial harm at work?

The results are in

Here is what the parties had to say

Question	Greens	Labour	National	Act
Raise the minimum wage to reflect the Living wage?	The Green Party will guarantee minimum wage increases at least in line with inflation and ensure the public sector and state funded community sector pays a living wage and requires service contractors to pay staff a living wage	We will keep raising the minimum wage and move it closer to the living wage. In tough times, it’s critical to support those who struggle the most to make ends meet. Those on low incomes make impossible trade-offs between food and medical care, dry homes and a pair of shoes. These families need our support now more than ever. We’re a party that cares about workers, and increasing the minimum wage is one of many tools we’re using to support those on low incomes, including the implementation of Fair Pay Agreements, and extending the Living Wage to public service contractors	We will deliver increases to the minimum wage every year we are in office.
Ensure the payment of at least the living wage to all public servants and people delivering government- contracted services?	Yes	Yes, fixing low pay is a priority for Labour. We are using the levers of central government procurement to drive real and progressive change, starting with contractors in cleaning, catering and security guards. Core Public Service departments and agencies were directed to ensure that contracts for cleaning, catering and security guards signed or renewed after 1 December 2021 paid at least the living wage rate in place at that time. Cleaners, caterers and security guards on Public Service contracts with third parties do valuable work, but are not always paid at levels that allow them a decent standard of living.	Addressing the cost of living crisis is a key priority for a National Government. That means dealing with the drivers of inflation, but it also means supporting higher wages and providing tax relief so all Kiwis can get ahead – including those in the public service.
Implement the social insurance scheme?	The Green Party will provide all working people with a right to redundancy pay, and ensure progress on income insurance center's the need for equity for low wage and insecure workers.	Yes, in principle. We will need to see a significant improvement in economic conditions before anything is advanced.	No – the last thing New Zealanders need is another tax on their incomes.
Increase the rate of paid parental leave to a living wage?	Yes	Since 2017, Labour has increased the maximum Paid Parental Leave entitlements by $170 a week, as well as extending parental leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks. We know there is still more to do in this space, and have announced our policy to introduce Paid Partners Leave that can be taken concurrently or consecutively with the primary parent There is still more work to be done, but this is a critical first step.	No	No
Keep Fair Pay Agreements	Yes	Yes	No
Increase funding for Worksafe to achieve the same inspector ratios as Australia?	Yes	Have not announced policy yet	National will announce its workplace relations policy in due course

How will you?

Question

Greens

Labour

National

Address bullying, harassment and psychosocial harm at work?

Everyone has the right to a safe workplace: the Green Party will ratify the International Labour Organisation’s Violence and Harassment Convention against violence at work (ILO 190) and progress reforms to prevent and respond to bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

In the work context, bullying can be a health and safety issue, an employment issue, and in some cases, a crime. All employers are responsible for providing a safe workplace under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Our government is committed to supporting New Zealanders to feel safe when at work. This Government recently passed changes to increase workers’ access to health and safety representatives, and health and safety committees.

We have also invested heavily in mental health services and now have free primary mental health services in Māori and Pacific providers and GP clinics across the country.

Bullying and harassment in the workplace is not acceptable, and employers are responsible for setting their own expectations within the workplace. New Zealand has one of the most robust employment relations framework in the developed world that provides both employers and employees with the tools to address any workplace disputes including bullying and harassment through multiple mechanisms.

National will ensure that our health and safety, and wider employment relations legislation, remains fit-for-purpose and that such issues continue to be dealt with in the first instance between the employer and employee, and where escalation is required the Employment Relations Authority is a suitably equipped arbiter.