However, the union says the Living Wage needs to be extended to contract workers who also work in the core public service.

E tū Campaign Lead Organiser, Yvette Taylor says the lift in pay is great news for the nearly 2000 workers who will benefit.

“We welcome the Government’s decision to honour its election commitment to move directly employed public servants to the Living Wage,” says Yvette.

“This is a major step towards improving the pay of people whose wages are too low for them to live on with dignity.”

But she says a commitment was also made to the many thousands of workers contracted to the public service who won’t benefit from today’s announcement.

“During the election campaign, the Government said it would pay the Living Wage to these workers before the end of its first term and we are looking forward to them delivering on that,” says Yvette.

“Contract workers are the lowest paid people in the core public sector and if the government is serious about reducing poverty and showing leadership, it needs to be paying them the Living Wage.”

E tū delegate and security guard, Kenneth Renata is contracted to work for a core Government agency.

“It’s great the government is paying their workers the Living Wage, but I work for them as well and the hours are long and the wages low,” says Kenneth.

“The government said they would pay us the Living Wage. Now we want to see them keep their promise,” he says.