‘It’s unfair’ - workers protest $1/hour pay rise

Several employees of Jaychem, a personal and animal product manufacturer gathered outside teh com0any’s office in East Tāmaki on Tuesday morning in a strike over wage grievances.

“Twenty to 30 years and still on minimum wage,” First Union organiser Numia Ra’ea said about the reason for the strike

But Paul Jancys from Jaychem rejected this claim, saying “none of our employees are on minimum wage after 20 years.”

Gail Subritzky of Ngāpuhi has more than 30 years total experience at the company and said she was on a base hourly rate of $23.30. 15 cents more than minimum wage.

She also receives an extra $3.46 an hour as a service bonus for having worked at the company for twenty consecutive years.

“Its unfair. We do a lot of work there and we are not getting paid for what we do,” Subritzky said.

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Subritzky was one of a couple dozen of protestors who were outraged by the New Zealand owned companies recent wage review and offer of one-dollar extra an hour.

“Right now we have members who carpool to work to cut costs,” Ra’ea said.

“They’re buying bread and stretching it over a fortnight because they can’t afford anything more.”

Established in 1979, Jaychem manufactures personal and animal health products, with most of its products destined for hospitals, pharmacies, homes, veterinary clinics and farms throughout New Zealand and across global markets.

“Jaychem negotiates with our union each year and has been giving pay rises over the rate of inflation with the current offer also above CPI.

“We respect the union’s right to strike and we intend to have this resolved as quickly as possible,” Jancys said.

Jaychem workers will continue their strike of labour until Thursday, May 9.