17 Sep 2008

Greens push for $15 minimum pay rate

8:52 pm on 17 September 2008

The Green Party is pushing for an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour, as part of its industrial relations policy released on Wednesday.

The party also wants a government agency set up to help unions and employers negotiate multi-employer collective agreements.

Its policy calls for a full review of the Employment Relations Act and for paid parental leave to be extended to 13 months.

Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Sue Bradford says low-paid workers should not be left to unfairly carry the costs of climate change, rising fuel and food prices and the fall-out from the United States financial crisis.