Resene Paint's latest pay offer is "chump change", says a worker at its Lower Hutt plant, but the company says it is being consistent with the manufacturing sector.
A noisy protest of about 80 workers and supporters braved the rain to picket the company's head office in Naenae on Monday.
Union affiliated staff were striking to lift pay rates to meet the living wage.
Resene workers on strike. Photo: RNZ
Union delegate Mags Jackson said she was disappointed to have to strike but the company's latest pay offer - which raised the average employees hourly rate by 84 cents - was "chump change".
She said negotiations had been going on with the company for almost a year.
"It's bullshit. It's like chump change. We're not asking for a lot. We've cut a few [things] in our allowances to try and make it reasonable and yet [Resene] come out with a flat eight cents on the previous offer.
"I want to spit it back at them to be honest. It's a waste of time going in and sitting around the table with them when they're not going to value what we've put forward. They don't care about us," Jackson said.
Union delegate Mags Jackson Photo: RNZ
If the rent goes up - where do we live?
Worker Lui Betham said it would mean a lot if the company would agree to meet the standard.
"It will give us less stress. Less worrying about the power bill, the rent, and - if the rent goes up - where do we live? Life is hard in New Zealand but I don't want to go and live in Australia," Betham said.
Betham said other employees had worked for up to 27 years for the company, but were yet to reach a living wage.
Worker Lui Betham. Photo: RNZ
He said the company's latest pay offer - which raised previous offer by an average of 8 cents per hour - was "depressing".
"Our people we work really hard and it really hurts. It's like a kick in the guts. You'd like to be treated with a bit of respect. We're making this company a bit of money so we'd just like to share that," Betham said.
Worker's 'disgusted' by company's promotional investment
Lisa Behrent had worked for Resene for more than 20 years.
She said she was "disgusted" the company could find the money to sponsor local sports teams and events while the workers were left out in the cold.
"It's just crap. I mean [the company] supports the Hurricanes, breast cancer, that home and garden thing [NZ House and Garden Tours]. I mean, you should be supporting your workers," Behrent said.
Lisa Behrent. Photo: RNZ
Offer consistent with manufacturing sector
A spokesperson for the company said they would not offer any new comment - other than reiterating previous comments - in relation to Monday's protest.
"Our offer is consistent with the manufacturing sector annual wage increase for the current 12 month period. We will continue to negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table with the E tū Union, and we will not be conducting the bargaining process in the media," the spokesperson said.
Reverend Alison Robinson. Photo: RNZ
Reverend Alison Robinson of nearby St David's Anglican Church said church members were turning up in solidarity at the workers' protests and had been fund-raising among the wider Anglican community to help cover lost wages.
"The rain doesn't keep us away and we're managing to get out here at least once a week so I think it's a really strong movement.
"[Resene] are a really successful company. Which we're delighted about. They have reaped a lot of benefits over the years and I think that needs to be shared with the workers," Robinson said.
Cost of living wage 'a drop in the ocean'
E tū lead advocate Finn O'Dwyer-Cunliffe said the cost of bringing workers up to the living wage was a "drop in the ocean" compared with Resene's overall revenue and budget.
He said the company's previous offers would leave their workers struggling in the current economic climate.
"People who are earning $24 - $25 an hour - it's not enough to make ends meet so we need something significantly better and we don't think the living wage is too much to ask. That eight cent an hour increase - on average - in their latest offer was pretty insulting," O'Dwyer-Cunliffe said.
Finn O'Dwyer-Cunliffe. Photo: RNZ
O'Dwyer-Cunliffe said he hoped the company would see the resolve of the workers backed by the support of the local community and come back with a more substantial offer.
"We'll keep going. We hope that Resene comes to the table with something that really shows their respect and value of their workers rather than skimming around the edges and finding an extra few cents here and there.
"This is a massive company that's made significant profits in recent years and we want to see them share that value with their workers," O'Dwyer-Cunliffe said.
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