‘Living Wage, An Option’
“This is a radical suggestion. It is something that happens in New Zealand. We have a minimum wage currently $23 hourly. There is sectorial division,” he said.
Tuesday 04 June 2024 | 16:39
Director of Tararua Enterprise managing partner Pacific Human Resource, Andrew Thompson.
A living wage can be a radical approach in Fiji, says Andrew Thompson, the director of Tararua Enterprise and managing partner Pacific Human Resource during the Fiji Human Resources Institute Convention in Nadi.
Most discussions were made around skilled labour loss and workers pleading for pay rise.
Mr Thompson suggested a living wage could be a solution.
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“This is a radical suggestion. It is something that happens in New Zealand. We have a minimum wage currently $23 hourly. There is sectorial division,” he said.
“However, there is a non-mandatory wage rate called Living Wage. It is not forceable by law. Living wages are something you have got to be thinking about here.”
He said NZ and other countries had a different approach towards it.
“From September 1, 2024, the Living Wage hourly rate is $27.80. This is an increase of $1.80 on the 2023/24 rate, which is in line with a 6.9 per cent increase in New Zealand’s average ordinary time hourly rate.”
Living Wage vs Minimum Wage
Mr Thompson said a Living Wage is different from the Minimum Wage, which is the legal minimum wage all employers must pay.
“The living wage sets a higher test. The minimum wage is the same across the province. Living Wage reflects what people need to earn to cover the actual costs of living in their community.”
Questions were sent to the Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh regarding the suggestion but remain unanswered.
Feedback: mereleki.nai@fijisun.com.fj
