Auckland workers trapped in low-paid, unstable jobs

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-07-03 03:00

New Zealand

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Precarious workers in Auckland face serious struggles, including low wages, unpredictable hours, lack of basic rights, and constant stress. A Slovenian researcher drew on his own experience working three jobs and interviewed 21 other precarious workers and 5 union representatives across Auckland. Many were non-European migrants, Māori, and Pasifika people, though the problem is increasingly affecting the Pākehā working class. The study shows that precarious work isn’t just about bad jobs, it shapes people’s whole lives, leaving them exhausted, anxious, and trapped in poverty. Government welfare systems also pressure people into taking poor-quality jobs with threats of losing support.