F is for farmers, and that’s not good enough

Thursday, 30 May 2019

A new pay offer for teachers came two weeks after thousands took to the street on May 29.

OPINION: 'We will never give up. We will never stop fighting for fairness for working people and a better world.'

These are the words that were tweeted by Sally McManus, who is an inspiring Australian trade union leader, when the results came in from the Australian Federal Election.

Here in Aotearoa, we have seen our share of anti-worker governments.

The previous nine years of National-led government saw a slow, steady erosion of worker rights. That period is now over and long may it last as we begin to rebuild on what has been lost over that nine years.

**READ MORE:

Farmers retail staff take industrial action in support of a living wage.

* Farmers retail staff to go on strike for pay rise

* Where's the Workers Advisory Council?

* Workers picket Auckland Farmers store calling for fair pay**

My heart went out to our friends across the ditch when I saw that they did not take up the opportunity to oust their right-wing politicians as we did here in New Zealand.

Dennis Maga says all workers, including retail workers, deserve a living wage.

Sally's uplifting tweet was a timely reminder that we can't ever rest because even though we no longer have an anti-worker government, we still have a lot of work to do to in this country to secure a fair deal for workers.

Workers in New Zealand are rolling up their sleeves and getting that work done.

Workers right across the spectrum from the public sector and the private sector and from rural towns to big cities are finally working together to create a country that has fair wages and decent work for all.

Teachers in our schools, both primary and secondary, are planning a historic industrial action together, and when they achieve success, we will all benefit; by having fairer schools that can attract and retain great talent.

Idea Services support and administration staff who provide care for intellectually disabled people are on strike, as I write, for better pay and working conditions.

St John Ambulance professionals are fighting for shift recognition.

29052019 NEWS PHOTO BRADEN FASTIER / NELSON MAIL School teachers from all over Nelson congregate at the Church Steps at the end of Trafalgar St on Wednesday morning during the national teachers mega strike.

Restaurant workers in KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hutt are also closing stores in several locations all over the country to achieve fair wages.

Workers at Farmers department stores have also voted to undertake industrial action.

Farmers stores are an iconic, family-owned, New Zealand brand.

When you walk into its stores, you are greeted with a glistening array of beauty and homeware products. It's a feel-good store for those of us who like shopping.

Some people might be surprised and disappointed then, when this year, Farmers Department Stores received an F rating from the Tearfund's Ethical Fashion Report. Unfortunately, workers at Farmers retail stores are also giving their employer an F rating and this week they are taking action to help turn around that score.

KFC workers walked off the job earlier this month.

About 20 per cent of Farmers workers are on the minimum wage. This is shameful considering the loyal and skilled work that their retail employees put in every day.

This has led to workers voting to take various forms of industrial action.

The actions began last week with workers defying the company uniform policy by wearing stickers that read 'F' for Farmers, some workers have gone as far as to walk off the job.

Actions continue this week with work-to-rule action (a form of partial strike action) and wearing of an 'F' for Farmers t-shirts while working.

In addition, picket lines are planned at stores up and down the country. The two key reasons for the actions are the company's unfair performance pay system and low wages.

All workers, including retail workers, deserve a living wage, and they are working together across many brands to achieve it.

Seeing workers at Bunnings and elsewhere win a living wage through their unions has lifted the aspirations of Farmers workers and so has their willingness to take industrial action.

It takes more than just a worker-friendly government and worker-friendly legislation to become the fair wage economy that New Zealand can be.

It requires worker participation too, to take up the challenge of turning it around, just as the Farmers workers and others are doing. It takes bravery and positivity like that reflected in Sally McManus's tweet.

Just like our fellow unions in Australia, we will never stop fighting for fairness for working people and a better world.

Dennis Maga is the general secretary of First Union.