Submission form: Keep Living Wage Protections for Government Cleaners, Security Guards and Catering Staff

E tū is leading this campaign to retain the Living Wage and NUPE is right in there to support this. If you have a moment, we encourage you to follow the link and make a submission. Add your voice to advocate for those being paid low wages.

Soliadarity and unity all the way.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking public feedback on a new edition of the Government Procurement Rules.

All Government agencies must follow the Government Procurement Rules when managing contracted for goods and services, like cleaning, security and catering. 

The requirement to pay a Living Wage to cleaners, security guards and catering staff has been removed.

History tells us without Living Wage requirements in procurement contracts, contracted workers face a life on poverty wages.

If you want the Government to keep the Living Wage requirement, make a submission to MBIE using the form here Keep Living Wage Protections for Government Cleaners, Security Guards and Catering Staff

Striking the Balance: Service User’s Home or a Workplace?

A Work Place or a Home ?

Balancing the needs of service users with the rights of employees is a delicate challenge in care settings. For those receiving support, their environment is their home—a place of comfort, independence, and personal space. However, for care staff, it is also a workplace, governed by employment rights, health and safety regulations, and professional responsibilities. Striking the right balance between these two perspectives is essential to creating a harmonious, safe, and respectful environment for all.

The Importance of Home for Service Users

A home is more than just a physical space; it is a sanctuary where individuals should feel safe, respected, and in control. For service users, particularly those with disabilities, mental health conditions, or additional needs, maintaining a sense of home is crucial for well-being. A stable, supportive, and personalised living space promotes independence, dignity, and a sense of belonging.

A home-like atmosphere also encourages personalisation—allowing service users to make choices about their daily routines, decorations, and social interactions. This level of autonomy can significantly impact their mental and emotional well-being, leading to improved quality of life.

The Workplace Perspective

While service users need to feel at home, care environments are also professional workplaces where staff have rights and responsibilities. Employment laws ensure fair treatment, reasonable working hours, and protections against workplace hazards.

Care staff require clear boundaries and expectations to perform their roles effectively. They must be able to report concerns, receive adequate training, and work within a structured environment that prioritises their safety and well-being. Without this, burnout, stress, and turnover rates can increase, ultimately affecting the quality of care provided to service users.

Balancing Home and Workplace Needs

To ensure both service users and staff thrive, a careful balance must be struck. It is the view of the union that there must be an equal emphasis on the homes as workplace. They must be safe, have relevant safety features and still provide you with what you need while at work. This includes secure areas for your personal belongings, house design that facilitates an emergency escape when required and the locking away of potentially dangerous items in some circumstances i.e sharps in the kitchen.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS // Send your feedback to luke@nupe.org.nz

- What safety features do you seek in your home?

- Do you think your employer has the balance right between the home being a workplace and a home for service users?

The challenge of balancing the home-like environment service users need with the structured workplace care staff require is complex but achievable. By fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect, clear communication, and well-defined policies, both parties can benefit. When service users feel at home and staff feel supported, the overall quality of care improves, creating a positive and sustainable living and working environment for all.

An Ongoing NUPE Discussion.

Understanding The CEA OVERTIME & BREAKS

Welcome to this update on Understanding The CEA. The Collective Employment Agreement is a formal contract between NUPE and OT that sets the terms and conditions of employment for NUPE members.

In this update we clarify conditions as they relate to Overtime Breaks

You can find a copy of the CEA here.

OT Newest CEA (002).pdf

Download PDF • 3.88MB

Follow this link to view a quick VLOG (video) on this update by following this link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaA_cs4WZHM

Overtime

From time to time you will work overtime. This is defined as over your 8 hours per day (if FTE) and over 40 hours a week. This is due to work load, ongoing staffing issues in many areas of OT operations, COVID and multiple other factors including the general nature of the work. NUPE encourages that you are careful with the amount of overtime that you do / accept as your health and wellbeing must be safeguarded and too much overtime may lead to burnout. When staff work excessive hours, it can negatively impact on practice which can and has, lead onto serious consequences.

What Does The Collective Say

Refer to 3.3 of the CEA.

If your base rate is less than 50,000 any overtime you do is paid at the rates outlined in 3.3.1

For all other staff, you are provided TOIL on an hour for hour basis.

Note that a manager can make overtime payments available to all staff at the rates specified in the agreement (in 3.3.1) where there is a business need to do so.

In the situation where you are asked or agree to do overtime, we recommend that you seek agreement from your manager to be paid at the rates outlined in 3.3.1. Where there is a business need, your manager is able to approve this payment.

Please note, that at this stage, any overtime worked does not attract allowances i.e night rates / penals. You will be paid less hour for hour than your normal rate of pay. Seeking payment as per the 3.3.1 clause will compensate this.

Breaks

It is important that you are able to take your breaks through your day. Breaks can help reduce stress, improve your mood, and prevent burnout. Working for long periods without breaks can lead to decreased focus and productivity. The work you do is important, it can be complex and it is important you are on top of your game and practicing well. Breaks will give you a short amount of time for self-care. Breaks must provide a reasonable chance during work periods to rest, refresh and take care of personal matters.

NUPE is of the view that a break is NOT a break if during that period you are on hand to respond to emergencies, unable to leave site, required to do work related tasks i.e check email, open / close doors / drive. Having non-contact work time does not constitute a break and this time must be paid.

What Does The Collective Say

This section of the CEA is relatively straight forward.

If you are finding that your work routine prevents you from taking your breaks, do contact NUPE. We will advocate.

In the situation where you are required to be on a response team through your break or you are required to respond to an incident or other operational issue while on break, then this must be paid if you are not able to be provided an alternative time for a break. Please contact NUPE if you are having any issue claiming this payment.

E.g. You are on your break, are required to respond to an incident, you would seek to have the break paid by noting it on your time sheet referencing the incident report that will have been completed for the event.

If you have questions please send them through to Mathew@nupe.org.nz

If there are parts of the CEA that you have questions about, send them through and we will develop an “Understanding Your Collective “ response.

Until next time, take care, get supervision, take your breaks, practice sharp.

Matt Glanville

For NUPE