Tertiary sector pay must keep pace with inflation.

Hau Taki Haere | Tertiary Update Vol 26, No 7

Last week, Tatauranga Aotearoa | Statistics New Zealand announced that Aotearoa’s Consumer Price Index, which measures increases to the so-called ‘cost of living’, has hit a 30-year high of 6.9%.

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union’s Te Pou Ahurei Takirua – Ahumahi | Assistant National Secretary – Industrial, Irena Brörens, says this will have serious implications for negotiations which will take place in all major public tertiary education institutions this year:

“Employers need to make sure that they budget for proper wage movement. When our members’ costs go up, they rightly expect employers to maintain the value of their wages and salaries.”

“Aotearoa universities have been, for the most part, reporting healthy surpluses in recent times and with the New Zealand economy in a strong position, with good GDP growth, pay increases that match the rising cost of living are affordable for New Zealand. This year we won’t be accepting the impact of COVID-19 as an excuse for low pay offers.”

Also in this update:

Other stories:

  • Cost of living rises: Annual inflation hits 6.9 percent – highest in three decades – RNZ
  • Tertiary education institutions: What we saw in 2021 – Auditor General
  • Proud to be backing mātauranga Māori scientific research – Beehive
  • Workers' Memorial Day has a chilling relevance in the days of Omicron – Stuff