It comes as Labour leader Chris Hipkins warned of the thousands of public servants a “National, Act, New Zealand First government” would put out of work before Christmas in his pitch for Labour’s re-election.
The two party co-leaders made their comments at the E tū union campaign launch in Māngere in South Auckland today.
In a press release, Davidson said current pressures on workers meant they were unable to spend quality time with their whānau and friends.
“Tens of thousands of people are working two, sometimes three, jobs just to make ends meet. This leaves hardly any time in the day for people to rest and enjoy time with the people they love.”
In a short speech at the launch, Davidson said her main message was her desire to keep “the other lot” out of government. She claimed other parties were spreading “lazy, dog-whistling” racism.
“Aotearoa is better than that.”
Hipkins, who spoke ahead of Davidson, repeated a common line of his that the election was a “very stark choice” while continuing his attack on National’s proposed tax plan.
Speaking of his own policies, Hipkins said he could “explain every one of them” and how much they would cost - a reference to National’s reluctance to release its costings, particularly concerning how it would attract the more than $700 million per year it needed from its proposed foreign buyers’ tax to fund its tax cuts.
“The National Party can’t tell you how they’re going to pay for all the commitments they are making.”
Both National and Act proposed cutting the public service in order to reduce government spending.
Hipkins said a government led by National, Act and NZ First would lead to “thousands” of workers out of work before Christmas.
Labour has also added to its policies on workers’ rights and wage growth by promising to repeal pay rates below the minimum wage and increasing access to health and safety training.
It built on earlier commitments including progressively extending the living wage (currently $26 per hour) to workers in the education sector and Te Whatu Ora staff and continuing to raise the minimum wage ($22.70) annually.
“Our health care assistants, caregivers, and school caretakers all play an important role in delivering our public services and should be better supported to have a decent standard of living,” Hipkins said in a press release.
“We’re investing in our frontline services and people, not cutting them,” a reference to National’s intention to make cuts in the public service in order to fund tax cuts.
Labour’s policy statement said the party would “work to increase access to union health and safety training, access for union officials to workplaces for assessment purposes, and issuing of improvement notices”.
The general election will be held on October 14.
