Bayfair to adopt living wage for employees

Photo: Daniel Hines.

Tauranga's Bayfair Shopping Centre is one of six centres to adopt the living wage.

From July 1, AMP Capital, the manager of six shopping centres will have cleaning and security providers, who are their largest contractors, paying all their employees the living wage.

Employees will be paid a minimum of $20.55 per hour.

Workers who are employed through suppliers will receive a pay rise at Bayfair in Tauranga, Centre City in New Plymouth, Botany Town Centre and Manukau Supa Centre in Auckland, and Christchurch's Merivale Mall and The Palms.

It's understood AMP Capital will be the first shopping centre manager in New Zealand to facilitate the payment of the living wage.

Cleaning and security comprise AMP Capital's two largest supply contracts, employing a total of 131 people across the six centres.

The living wage is $2.85 per hour above minimum wage for New Zealand workers. AMP Capital is aligning itself with more than 120 national organisations who recognise the value of the fairer remuneration standard for workers, the economy and their business.

AMP Capital asset manager Emma Smith says the organisation is committed to helping improve New Zealand's financial position and they want to lead by example.

'We believe this new policy will benefit those employed by these providers and their families. A living wage enables workers to live with dignity and to participate as active citizens in society.

'It is good to see the move towards the living wage gaining momentum in New Zealand. By ensuring AMP Capital's contractors are paid the living wage, we hope to be able to inspire other businesses to look into adopting the same approach.

'It is early days and we will be looking at what we can do to encourage other service providers to join the movement.”

Australian-owned company Assetlink has worked with AMP Capital's real estate management team in Australia since 2016, and was appointed to provide cleaning services for an additional six assets in New Zealand earlier this year.

Assetlink's General Manager of People and Culture Martha Travis says they welcomed AMP Capital's recommendation to incorporate a living wage for all workers under the new contract.

'The New Zealand industrial landscape is different to how we work in Australia, which has various awards and penalty rates which bump up hourly rates for workers, and to know we can come into New Zealand for the first time and offer all our workers at least the living wage as a decent and fair wage for their work is certainly very important to us.

'We are passionate about people and sustainability, both environmental and financial, and we are thrilled to be able to help push forward the living wage movement as we come into the country.

'Most rewarding of all though, is the difference we are making to the lives of the people we are employing who will be receiving a pay rise from July 1 this year.”

Along with Assetlink, AMP Capital have engaged security services provider Red Badge Group who has also committed to providing a living wage for its employees contracted to AMP Capital managed shopping centres throughout the country.

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1 comment

GOOD STUFF!

Posted on 06-05-2019 18:17 | By Blasta

Well done BayFair and AMP Capital!


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