Major union support for minimum wage campaign

Picket outside Auckland Central National MP Nikki Kaye's office, 13 February

The $15 minimum wage campaign initiated by Unite Union has been given a boost with one of the country's biggest unions, the Engineering,Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) coming out in support of the CIR petition. The latest issue of Metal, the EPMU's journal, carries a front-page article on the campaign and a copy of the petition. According to the article, the EPMU’s national executive is "throwing the union’s weight behind" the campaign, and urges members to support it. The campaign has gained wide public support, particularly with the recent announcement that the National Government plans to raise GST to $15. So far, over 100,000 signatures have been collected, but around 300,000 are needed by May 7 to force a referendum. The support from the EPMU - hopefully to be followed by other major unions - gives the campaign a better chance of reaching its goal. To get copies of the petition, or to help the campaign, go to www.unite.org.nz or call Joe Carolan on 029 445 5702.