Jackie can’t remember the last time she and her family had a holiday or even when her and her husband spent quality time together. “Money is too tight,” she says, “As a family we are working day and night just to cover the basics.” Jackie works at a supermarket. Supermarket workers are some of the […]
Download the latest issue of Workers First here. […]
As part of FIRST Union’s stop work meetings at 58 locations around the country (more than 5,300 attendees), retail workers will be signing one of our largest banners ever in support of the three tenets of our Worth It campaign. The campaign calls on employers in the retail industry to pay workers a Living […]
Retail workers and their supporters made a statement in the centre of Auckland’s bustling Queen Street today over pay and performance conditions. Farmers workers and their supporters picketed stores in Auckland and Wellington. This kicks off a series of planned pickets to take place outside Farmers stores over the coming weeks. Farmers workers typically start […]
“Oh I’m just a sales person” – a phrase I heard a lot of when retail workers were asked to introduce themselves at a recent union conference I attended. You might put this down to personal modesty but I urge you to stop and think for a minute about your own perception retail workers – […]
Many retail workers in New Zealand currently survive on minimum wage rates and don’t have enough hours of work to live on. Pay rates and work hours are so low that employers struggle to fill vacancies, and a pay crisis is already in effect as the average retail worker struggles to live. In response to […]
“I have to go to WINZ to get money for a uniform.” “I’m living pay cheque to pay cheque.” “I only wear hand me downs.“ “I can’t afford to take my kids to the doctor.” “Holidays are a pipe dream.” “We have to decide whether to buy food or school uniforms.” “I had to move […]
