The Unionist, Issue 51, 4 August 2006
Work life balance is not an optional extra – it is fundamental for a modern economy, was the view put forward by the Council of Trade Unions at a recent forum on the topic, writes the Unionist this week.
Either read on, or download a printable version here (PDF file, 64 kb).
Work Life Balance Not an Optional Extra
Work life balance is not an optional extra – it is fundamental for a modern economy, was the view put forward by the Council of Trade Unions at a recent forum on the topic.
CTU secretary Carol Beaumont presented union views on work life balance at a joint summit between government, the CTU, Business New Zealand and the Equal Employment Opportunities Trust.
Last week’s summit was called to consider how to move forward on issues identified by the Select Committee when they considered submissions on the Employment Relations (Flexible Working Hours) Amendment Bill.
In March this year the committee reported that the need for flexible working hours was agreed, but that the mechanism for delivering flexible hours wasn’t. The committee put the Bill aside for one year and asked officials to collect further information on New Zealand workplace practices regarding flexible working hours, and to consult more widely on both the principles of, and delivery mechanisms, for flexible working hours.
Carol Beaumont said that the summit was timely and welcome. In her address she said that achieving a balance between employment and life outside work was a significant issue for most New Zealanders as they managed competing demands for their time.
At the summit the government released ‘Work-Life Balance in New Zealand: A snapshot of employee and employer attitudes and experiences.’ It comprised of two surveys – of employees and employers.
The report found 52% of New Zealand workers rate their work-life balance as good to excellent, but 40% have some or a lot of difficulty getting the balance they want, and 46% experience some degree of work-life conflict.
“The research confirms that we have a long hours culture where workers are doing extra unpaid hours to get their jobs done, and that shift work and rotating hours are having a negative impact on workers,” Carol Beaumont said.
Beaumont said that the discussion on work life balance needed to be set in the context of this long hours culture, and the recognition that a specific driver of it was low wages.
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| The CTU’s campaign on work life balance kicked off in 2002 with the release of the 30 Families report. Too see the campaign site click here. |
Workers who were surveyed for the research said that the most helpful arrangement for them was having flexible start and finish times. Of options offered by employers, the most common were workers being able to occasionally vary start and finish times to cope with a problem, using personal sick leave to care for others, flexible break provisions and study leave.
At the summit Carol Beaumont stressed the importance of a collective response to work life balance – involving individuals, business, government and unions, and that strategies to address work life balance must be available to all, not just a privileged few.
In developing solutions to work life balance the CTU sees it relating to a number of interrelated policy issues affecting the workforce, including pay and employment equity, the need for family friendly workplaces, life long learning, lifting wages and decent and secure work, she said.
Events Calendar
Unions Local
Unions Tauranga
Mon Aug 14, 5pm
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd,
Mt Maunganui
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz
Unions Hawkes Bay
Mon Aug 14, 5.30pm
TUC, 2 Lipton Pl, Napier
dhyde@nduunion.org.nz
Unions Canterbury
Tue Aug 15, 4pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz
Unions Auckland
Thur Aug 17, 4pm.
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz
Unions Wellington
Mon Aug 21, 5:00 p.m.
CTU, Level 7, Education House, 178 Willis St., Welington
pbolster@anet.co.nz
Unions Manawatu
Fri Aug 25, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St,
Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz
Unions Northland
Tue Aug 29, 5pm.
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz
Other Events and Campaigns
First Friday Drinks
From 5:30’ish, Brix Bar, Abel Tasman Hotel cnr. Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
SuperSizeMyPay.Com - Akld
McFight Night – Every Friday Night. 5-6.30pm.
Pt Chev McDonalds, Gt Nth Rd, Auckland (09) 845-2132,
help@unite.org.nz
Death (and love) in Gaza, homage to a young activist, based on the life and writings of Rachel Corrie and other Internationalists.
BATS Theatre, Wellington, July 25 to August 5, Tues to Sat, 7.00pm. Bookings 802 4175
Shelfrespect.org Pickets
- Woolworths Kilbirnie, Sat Aug 5, 11am to 1pm.
scadman@nduunion.org.nz
- Foodtown Greenlane, Sat Aug 5, 3pm. erinp@nzctu.org.nz
Youth Rates and the Probationary Employment Bill - Akld Meeting
(see listing under 90 Days column)
Motivate the members -
Articulate your message!
Learn the skills at “Talking Union” – a Wellington Union Toastmasters group. Meets at the NZCTU twice a month
Contact kimw@nzctu.org.nz
90 Days No Rigths Bill Campaign Events
Youth Rates and the Probationary Employment Bill.
Mon, Aug 21, 7.30pm.
St Marks Parish Centre, 334
Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga
Mary Betz from CARITAS will speak on youth rates and proposals to impose a 3 month probationary period on new workers.Catholic Justice and Peace Group in Pakuranga. Email: cr_sullivan@hotmail.com
90 Days No Rights Bill - Rally
Weds August 23, 12:30pm
Aotea Square, Auckland.
www.workrights.org.nz
CTU Meetings, Training
Youth Union Movement Akld
Fri August 4, 5.30pm
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Road
erinp@nzctu.org.nz
CTU Meeting on tertiary education reforms
Tuesday Aug 8, 1.30-3.30
CTU Boardroom
carolb@nzctu.org.nz
Unions at Work: Cross Union Delegate Seminar - Invercargill
Tue Aug 22, 9.00am – 4.30pm
Invercargill Workingmen’s Club, 154 Esk Street.
karenn@nzctu.org.nz
Leadership Development for Young Workers
Wed 6 and Thur 7 Sept, 9am-4.30.
Big Hall, St Johns Church, Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
karenn@nzctu.org.nz by Aug 28
Unions at Work: Cross Union Delegate Seminar - Whangarei
Thur Sep 7, 9am-4.30pm
The Barge Showground Event Centre, State Highway 14, Maunu, Whangarei karenn@nzctu.org.nz by Aug 28
Advanced Pacific Workers Fono
Thur 14 Sept, 9.00am – 4.30pm
Meeting Room 1, 2nd Floor, AMI Building, Cnr Osterley Way & Ronwood Avenue, Manukau, Auckland.
karenn@nzctu.org.nz by Sep 4
Young Workers and Unions -
National Youth Activist Camp
Fri 22- Sun 24 Sept, all day.
Kotare Trust, Wellsford
erinp@nzctu.org.nz
Workplace Productivity Challenge: Exploring Workplace Productivity Issues
Wed 27 Sept, 9am-4.30
St Johns Church, Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Sep 7
Contact
If you have any information about upcoming CTU events please contact:
Sam Huggard - (04) 802 3817, email: samh@nzctu.org.nz
