Parliamentary support staff concerned about their low pay rates have got support from the Labour and Green party caucuses in urging the Government to consider them in the May 20 budget.Public Service Association organiser John Goodall said a new salary su
Parliamentary support staff concerned about their low pay rates have got support from the Labour and Green party caucuses in urging the Government to consider them in the May 20 budget.
Public Service Association organiser John Goodall said a new salary survey conducted by the employment relations and payroll branch of the Parliamentary Service shows support staff were paid 8.38 percent below the median market rate for executive support staff across the public and private sector.
"This week letters signed by the Green and Labour caucuses have been sent to the Speaker (Lockwood Smith), who is the minister for the Parliamentary Service, and Bill English, Minister of Finance. The letters ask that money is made available to pay members' support staff fairly," Mr Goodall said.
He said the concerns had been voiced because the ongoing wage freeze was a barrier to recruiting and retaining experienced and high calibre staff in important positions.
The three unions representing support staff -- the Public Service Association, Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU), and Unite -- had negotiated remuneration reviews for the past two years without result, said SFWU organiser Don Swan.
The unions said Australian parliamentary staff earned nearly $30,000 more a year than their New Zealand counterparts.
