St David’s Anglican Church backs workers' Living Wage Campaign
St David’s Anglican Church is supporting factory workers in their campaign for the living wage. The church joins the wider community, calling on the Resenes paint factory to ensure all its employees can live with dignity and security.
St David’s is located near Resene’s factory in Naenae and is offering active support to the workers' cause. Rev. Alison Robinson describes how she’s been moved by the stories of hardship shared by Resene employees, many of whom work 50 to 60 hours a week just to survive.
Members of the church have been meeting with workers, attending campaign events, and offering support as the workers seek a commitment from Resene to pay the current living wage of $27.80 an hour. Most factory workers currently earn only slightly above the minimum wage of $23.50.
Alison says talking with workers who had spent over a decade at the company without ever reaching a living wage left her feeling "really sad and upset."
"Life on the minimum wage is difficult, and it’s pretty hard to sustain a family on that," she said. "It’s the right thing to look after the workers. I think it’s a win-win."
Alison says paying a living wage would do more than just ease financial stress — it would allow families to live healthier and more dignified lives.
"When people earn enough to meet their needs, they can access better food, take care of their health, spend time with their children, and contribute more meaningfully to their communities," she said. "It’s about restoring people’s dignity."
St David’s members plan to continue standing alongside the workers, including at an upcoming community meeting on May 13 at St Bernadette’s School hall.
This story was sourced from the New Zealand Herald. Read the full article here
