NZCTU Warns of 'Disastrous' Consequences of Another Luxon Term

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) has launched its 'Don't risk 6 years of Luxon' election campaign, warning that another term of Prime Minister Chris Luxon would be disastrous for working people.

NZCTU President Sandra Grey says the campaign uses stories from everyday workers to highlight the struggles they face under Luxon's leadership.

'They are speaking up clearly about their concerns about what another three years under a National-led coalition would mean,' Grey says. 'They have told us they've gone backwards while the Prime Minister has shown he has no idea what their lives are like.'

The campaign cites statistics showing that since the National-led government took office, 48,000 more people are unemployed and the number of those unemployed for six months or longer has risen by 130 percent.

The minimum wage has fallen 4 percent in real terms since 2023, leaving a full-time minimum-wage worker $2,076 a year worse off. Wages measured by the labour cost index have fallen 1.5 percent after inflation.