The Unionist, Issue 52, 11 August 2006

The Council of Trade Unions reiterated its call for decent jobs with proper pay, writes The Unionist this week.

Either read on, or download a printable version here (PDF file, 50 kb).

Decent Jobs with Secure Pay

The Council of Trade Unions reiterated its call for decent jobs with proper pay, after wages and employment figures out this week showed there are more of us in work, but wages are still low.

Yesterday’s Household Labour Force Survey showed that at 3.6 per cent, unemployment is the lowest it has been in 20 years.  The labour force grew by 0.7 per cent in the previous 3 month period also.

CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said that while the low unemployment figures were welcome, we shouldn’t forget there were still 79,000 people out of work.

“Once we add those discouraged or presently unable to work the figure becomes 137,200. This still means there is room for active labour market policies to assist more people into work, especially given the disproportionate affect unemployment has on Maori and pacific workers.”

“We are also reaffirming our commitment to full employment and the responsibility of society as a whole and Government in particular to ensure that all New Zealanders have the opportunity to work and receive a living wage.”

There was also still 68,100 people seeking more hours, Beaumont said.

Maori workers remained nearly 3 and a half times more likely to be out of work than pakeha and CTU Vice President Maori Sharon Clair said more needed to be done to address this inequality.

“Maori are clearly not accessing the same job security that other workers are.  We need strategies and policies that reflect this disparity, through investment in Maori workers for decent wages, secure employment, education and training, life long learning in the workplace and jobs that matter,” she said.

After the release of the government’s Social Report on Tuesday Sharon Clair said that there needed to be a discussion on the root causes of inequality for Maori, in areas such as health, education and employment.

The CTU argued that yesterday’s employment figures proved National’s 90 Days No Rights Bill was redundant.

“The key issue facing the labour market right now is how to attract and retain workers, not how to sack them,” Carol Beaumont said.

Earlier in the week wage statistics showed that private sector wages increased by 3% on average in the previous year, but the average across all workers who actually got a wage increase was 5.4% and the median 4.2%.

The CTU said it was important to maintain the momentum of wage increases if we were to address New Zealand’s low wages problem.

“With our wages 35% below Australia, workers need to get organised and bargain collectively in unions to achieve regular increases at above the rate of inflation,” CTU Economist Peter Conway.

Workers were feeling the pinch with house prices outstripping wages, high transport and electricity costs, and a recent period of very high fruit and vegetable prices, he 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

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

Youth Rates and the Probationary Employment Bill - Akld Meeting
(see listing under 90 Days column)

Shelfrespect.org Picket
3pm, Sat 12th August
Foodtown Browns Bay (Akld)
Cnr Anzac & Clyde Rds (meet at the bus stop)
SOosterman@nduunion.org.nz

Clean Start action - Auckland
Thurs August 17, 12.30pm
Meet outside Lumley Centre, 88 Shortland St.
Who is the multi-national bank is that refuses to meet with cleaners? Come along to find out, and help us change their minds...
Cleaners will be rallying at the ‘Kill the Bill’ protest on August 23rd, and marching afterwards.
kirsty.mccully@sfwu.org.nz

Talking Union
Thursday, August 17th, 5:15 p.m.
NZCTU Boardroom
Education House
178 Willis St., Wgtn.
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

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

One-Day Health and Safety Rep Training for Union Officials
Thur Sept 28, 9.00am to 4.30pm
6th floor, PSA House, 11 Aurora Terrace (off The Terrace), Wellington
karenf@nzctu.org.nz

Contact

If you have any information about upcoming CTU events please contact:
Sam Huggard - (04) 802 3817, email: samh@nzctu.org.nz