Election 2026: Act to campaign on three-year minimum wage freeze
The Act Party in New Zealand has proposed a three-year minimum wage freeze and a new training wage for workers under 20 if elected in 2026. The policy also includes measures to restrict union fee collections and streamline personal grievance procedures for small businesses.
Why it matters
These proposals represent a significant shift in labor relations and economic policy, directly impacting small business operations and worker compensation.
Act leader David Seymour (centre) and small business spokeswoman Laura McClure (left). Photo / Anna Heath
The Act Party has promised to freeze the adult minimum wage for three years if elected and make it more difficult for unions to collect membership fees from workers.
The party also promised to introduce a training wage set at 60% of the adult minimum wage for workers under 20, available for their first 12 months with any employer.
The party’s small business policy, released today to coincide with BusinessNZ’s election conference argued that a training wage “would reflect the additional cost of training inexperienced workers and give employers a stronger reason to create entry-level jobs, which are essential for workers early in their career to be able to gain experience”.
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