Workers in developed nations are getting a smaller slice of the economic pie.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has found labour in developed nations is continuing to lose out to capital – the investors – in the battle for a share of national income - and New Zealand workers have one of the lowest proportions.
The OECD study looked at 30 developed nations, and found that in 26, labour's share dropped from 66% to 62% between 1990 and 2009.
The fall is attributed to firms shifting jobs to low wage economies, ever-cheaper technology and reduced unionisation.
New Zealand workers have less than half the share of national income. Only in Mexico, Turkey and the Slovak Republic did workers get less.