Re ‘Living wage employers scarce in Tauranga' (page 18, the Weekend Sun, April 18).
As a ratepayer I am concerned that we should get the best value for our money, but that does not extend to exploitation of people working for the Tauranga City Council.
TCC should be an example to the community and yet nearly 10 per cent of their staff is not paid a living wage. Maybe if there were a few less fancy desks and perks for councillors the people who actually do the work could be paid properly?
Around half of the ‘slaves' work in the library. My experience is that the library people are dedicated and helpful, generally professional and they deserve a better deal. Because they don't have the same publically-visible political clout that a clerk issuing housing permits (for example) has, they are an easy target for spending cuts.
It's shameful and it needs to stop. Nobody who works on our behalf should get less than a living wage. We can spend millions on doubtful consultants and schemes that look good on a town planner's CV, but we can't pay a living wage to people who are already working many hours of unpaid overtime, because, despite the staff cuts, they care about the service they deliver.
P Dashwood, Tauranga.
6 comments
TCC madness
Posted on 20-04-2018 11:20 | By Captain Sensible
How about the people in Tauranga who work for less than the "living wage" but are expected to cough up a 40% rates rise over the next 3 years, some of which will go towards paying a "living wage". The living wage is a socialist invention that basically means paying people more than the market rate and if private companies want to do that ....fine, but TCC should not be having anything to do with it, because it is OUR money and they never asked us about it.
@ Captain Sensible
Posted on 20-04-2018 17:45 | By MISS ADVENTURE
Taht is the truth of it
TCC average wage
Posted on 20-04-2018 17:47 | By MISS ADVENTURE
Is actually around some $80,000 pa, miles above average pay, What this means is that a few overpaid at the top get mmega money and a few at the bottom dont. perhaps the best issue to address is "Bang-for-buck" of rates monies firstly then that most likely will result in resolution of all problems, if in fact there is a problem. There isnt, at the bottom end, all problems reside at the top end.
The point...
Posted on 21-04-2018 13:48 | By morepork
... of the post is that Library workers are the most exploited because they have the least "clout". Certainly, the concept of a "living wage" can be argued (I disagree with Captain Sensible that it is just a device to pay people more than the market rate... When people have no choice, there is no "market"... that is slavery - in effect, you are working for food and survival...) MISS ADVENTURE is correct that the DISTRIBUTION of budgeted money is way off the beam. TCC should not be like some Banana Republic dictatorship, with the "barons" getting rich and the "peasants" being oppressed; a requirement to pay a "Living Wage" is one way to combat that.
@ Morepork, thanks
Posted on 22-04-2018 13:07 | By MISS ADVENTURE
The distribution is bad because: the number of staff between the bottom rung and the upper mob is huge, in addition that are massively overpaid, they have little to do except create mischief, interfer in all they can to try and create an excuse exist and expand. The information available shows that TCC wages have moved at double the pace of the Government sector which in turn has moved faster than the private sector. Meanwhile front line staff remain at the minimum wage. All of this is self justified by all the organisation as that is best for the upper mob who apply an exponential rate of pay for themselves, levered off the: debt level, spending, numbers of staff, and most importantly the self created spin of self importance.
@ morepork
Posted on 24-04-2018 15:05 | By Captain Sensible
Imagine the people who are struggling but not on the "living wage" being told that they must pay more rates so TCC workers can enjoy a living wage. TCC are corrupt to expect others to finance their socialist ideals. It is a socialist invention and in the real world, any company can do it, and then hope they remain competitive. TCC do not operate in the real world and are an ugly incompetent monopoly without a clue.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.