Living wage parish blitz

Members of the Santa Kruz group draw attention to life on low wages at a presentation
to the Auckland Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.

Auckland diocese is sending out 11,000 pamphlets which set out Catholic arguments for having a Living Wage in New Zealand. The pamphlets are published by the Social Welfare and Anti-Poverty Committee of the Auckland Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.

NZ Catholic understands that 1000 of the pamphlets were given to participants at the World Youth Day Experience in Auckland on July 30-31.

The other 10,000 will be sent to parishes.

Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn was at a recent presentation about the difficulties of life on a very low wage – the presentation was prepared by the Santa Kruz group from Papatoetoe and was given to members of the commission.

Bishop Dunn made a statement in the pamphlet.

“I would like to endorse the Living Wage Movement. It tries to give us a figure that provides an opportunity for a family to live with a modicum of respectability and not just on the bread
line,” the bishop wrote in the pamphlet.

A 2016 living wage level of $19.80 per hour is cited and how it is calculated is explained. The current minimum wage hourly rate is $15.25.

Among the suggestions for action in the pamphlet are parishes and other church organisations committing to paying their staff a living wage. Another suggestion is that individuals can support good employers by buying from accredited living wage companies.

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Michael Otto

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