The $15 an Hour Campaign for a Living Wage officially got underway at a very lively launch meeting on Thursday 11th June.

The Mt Albert by-election candidates turned up to take questions from over 200 Unite members in attendance. The workers were determined to get answers about low wages and supporting a $15 minimum wage.

Around 90 delegates attending a training day were joined by union members from the Mt Albert electorate to officially launch the $15 an hour campaign and hear from the candidates just two days before voting.

Unite organisers Omar Hamed and Don Franks got the crowd warmed up with some chants and songs before MC Susan Wood asked Unite National Secretary Matt McCarten to talk about the petition.

The candidates - David Shearer (Labour), Melissa Lee (National), John Boscowan (Act) and Russell Norman (Greens) gave brief presentations before the floor was opened up for member's questions.

Melissa Lee got the biggest (negative) response with her widely reported comment that she earned $2 an hour as an MP. The audience immediately responded - they knew it was rubbish. On a salary of $131,000 per year she would have to work 179 hours PER DAY to earn $2 an hour.

Several members asked very pointed questions about wages and poverty - especially whether or not the candidates could live on the current minimum wage of $12.50 an hour (they all admitted it would be either very difficult or impossible).

Matt McCarten asked them to sign an oversized version of the petition. David Shearer and Russell Norman did willingly. Melissa Lee tried to fudge it but, in the end, joined John Boscowan in refusing to endorse it.

After cameo appearances from the ALCP and Libertarian candidates, a floor vote was taken. Despite getting the biggest cheer at the beginning of the meeting, Labour's David Shearer was well beaten in the preference vote by the Greens' Russell Norman by the end. National and Act were only supported by their own campaign workers.

It was a very lively finish to the by-election campaign and a promising beginning to Unite's $15 an Hour Campaign for a Lliving wage.




View a photo slideshow of the meeting here.

View a One News story including video from the meeting here.

Read the NZ Herald story about the meeting here.


Download the petition form and background information here.

Download Ten Good reasons to Sign the Petition (2 double sided A5 Flyers on A4 sheet) here.

Sign up for the campaign newsletter here.

Join the $15 an Hour Campaign Facebook group here.