WCC Mayoral candidates on living wage

Do you think WCC should make it a condition for any business tendering for a contract with WCC to pay their staff at least $20 an hour?

• Nick Leggett: Yes
• Nicola Young: No. It’s not for WCC to dictate how businesses should operate.
• Justin Lester: I support frontline council services being paid a wage that means they can support their families and live. I do the same for my own employees and I find it improves productivity, reduces turnover and enhances customer service. I value staff and Welligtonians’ livelihoods.
• Helene Ritchie: Yes-As mayor, I will lead an affordable City, where people can afford to live
• Andy Foster: No – that means ratepayers having to deliberately pay more than they have to. Logically if that was the case we shouldn’t buy anything made overseas where people aren’t paid even close to that amount.
• Jo Coughlan: No – a person’s income is not just their wage but the tax credits and other support from Central Government which, depending on circumstance, may top up incomes lower than $20 per hour.

So three candidates in favour and three against.