KEY POINTS:
The Council of Trade Unions says political parties need to spell out what plans they have to increase pay packets and protect core social services.
CTU president Helen Kelly said unions wanted the minimum wage to rise to two-thirds of the average wage ($15 in the interim), 26 weeks paid parental leave moving to 56 weeks, investment in skills and technology to be boosted and a lifting of the rate of multi-employer collective bargaining and industry agreements.
In its election policy statement Ms Kelly said any new tax cuts would seriously hit the amount of money being spent on public services and it was important that everyone was on a level playing field.
"The fact that everyone can go to the doctor regardless of income, that every school in this country gets good funding and has highly qualified teachers and that they're all paid the same rates of pay."
The CTU's election campaign centres on the three themes of rights at work, strong public services and higher wages, and the document also sets out CTU goals in a range of other areas, including economic policy, public services and health and safety.
- NZPA
