The Unionist, Issue 62, Nov 3 2006

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is this week taking part in the formation of a new international trade union body, which will strengthen workers' representation at a global level, writes the Unionist this week. 

Either read on, or you can download a printable version here (PDF file, 52 kb).

New International Union Body Created

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is this week taking part in the formation of a new international trade union body, which will strengthen workers' representation at a global level.

The inaugural congress of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) was held in Vienna this week, and the NZCTU was represented at the meeting by CTU officers Ross Wilson and Carol Beaumont. 

Unions have international connections in the work they do through direct relationships with sister unions, with global union groups for particular workers (such as Education International and the International Transport Workers' Federation) and through peak bodies for national trade union centres.

The NZCTU is a member of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, which this week joined with the World Confederation of Labour to form the new ITUC. 

The new body will comprise the affiliated organisations of the former ICFTU and WCL together with eight other national trade union organisations that will for the first time affiliate to a global body.

“The creation of the ITUC will solidify the trade union movement’s capacity at the national and international levels”, said Guy Ryder, outgoing General Secretary of the ICFTU. 

“Stronger, we will exert more influence on companies, governments and the international financial and trade institutions. The founding of the ITUC is an integral part of the process of uniting the power of trade unionism,” he said.

You can read Carol Beaumont's short address to the inaugural congress of the ITUC here.  

Government Review of Casual Work

The government is set to review casual work.

New Zealand First Deputy Leader Peter Brown announced that New Zealand First had reached agreement with the Labour led government to conduct the review at the Maritime Union of New Zealand conference last week.

CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said that while we have low unemployment in New Zealand, we also have a lot of ‘low quality’ employment, and that the review was welcome.

“Casual employment is a major problem for many workers. There are of course instances of genuine casuals where the arrangement suits the worker and the employer, however some workers who are classified as casuals in fact turn up to work on a regular basis and to all intents and purposes are no different from a permanent worker,” she said.

Courts in New Zealand have generally found that to be a casual employee, work must be irregular and uncertain, and even where an employee is explicitly employed as a casual however, if the pattern of work becomes regular the worker will have become a part-time or full-time permanent employee.

There is limited research on the extent of casualisation in New Zealand.  

Two surveys in the 1990s estimated the extent of workers who were non permanent - casual, temporary, fixed-term or ‘occasional’ workers, as being around 11 per cent. 

A December 2007 supplement to the Household Labour Force Survey will look more closely at work arrangements including the employment of casuals.

Within particular industries however, there is more detailed evidence, and studies of industries such as accommodation, call centres and labour hire in construction point to a predominance of casual and temporary work, and a growing trend in other areas, such as on the waterfront.

Full details of the government review have not yet been announced, and the Unionist will report on details as they are released. 

Weekly Events Listing

Unions Local

Unions Gisborne
Wed Nov 8, 4pm.
Trades & Labour Hall, Corner Customhouse St. & Childers Rd.
cryan@nduunion.org.nz

Unions Otago
TBC
glendaa@nzno.org.nz

Unions Tauranga
Mon Nov 13, 4pm
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd,
Mt Maunganui
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Hawkes Bay
Mon Nov 13, 5.30pm
TUC, 2 Lipton Pl, Napier
dhyde@nduunion.org.nz

Unions Canterbury
Tue Nov 14, 4pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Auckland
Thur Nov 16, 4pm.
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Wellington
Mon Nov 20, 5:00 p.m.
CTU, Level 7, Education House, 178 Willis St., Welington
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Unions Manawatu
Fri Nov 24, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St,
Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Unions Northland
Tue Nov 28, 5pm.
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Other Events and Campaigns

Clean Start - Service and Food Workers Union.
Cleaners and supporters will gather outside the Hyatt Hotel to award the Golden Toilet Duck Award, 11.30am, Friday 3rd November

First Friday Drinks
After work, Friday Nov 3rd
Brix Bar, Abel Tasman Hotel
Cnr. Willis & Dixon St., Wgtn

Wgtn Workers Education Association - Forum
Kay Brereton, Wellington Peoples Centre
12:10 - 1:00
Monday Nov 6th
Betty Campbell Centre. 2nd Floor, Harbour City Tower, Panama Street, City.

Guy Fawkes
The Red Flag Trade Union Social Club (previously known as the Working Women’s Resource Centre Trade Union Social Club),  Guy Fawkes Event.  Theme is REVOLUTION.
Friday 3 November at Trade’s Hall,147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.  Entrance $5.00. 
RSVP Ros Hiini. Working Women’s Resource Centre, Phone  09 3797906 or email wwrc@ihug.co.nz

TUEA Reunion
This year marks 20 years since the establishment of the Trade Union Education Authority and staff, members of the original task force, board members and those associated with TUEA are invited to a reception at Parliament on Thursday 9th November.  There is a dinner for staff to follow. Contact:Suzanne McNabb suzanne.mcnabb@aus.ac.nz or (04) 801-4798.

Summit on Resourcing for Quality Public Education
Quality Public Education Coalition (QPEC) is organising a one-day summit ‘Resourcing for Quality Public Education’ to be held on Wednesday November 22nd at St Columba Centre, Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland from 10am.   QPEC advise more details will be posted as they are finalised.   Contacts: www.qpec.org.nz. National Secretary, P.O. Box 56 482 Dominion Road, Auckland. 

Parihaka - Jan 5-7 2006
The 2nd Parihaka International Peace Festival runs January 5th 6th 7th  2007.  You are invited to buy ticket/s to our next festival directly off us through the festival’s website e-ticket facility. The offer runs from now through to 4th November 2006.  The special price before November 4 is $99 per adult, after which is will be $135 for the remainder of the year.  All children up to 15yrs and adults over 60yrs are $10 at all times.  Tickets at the discounted price can be purchased from www.parihaka.com

CTU Meetings, Training

Workplace Productivity Challenge: Exploring Workplace Productivity Issues.  Remaining seminars as follows:
- Wed 8 November, 9am-4.30
Te Manawa Museum, 396 Main Street, Palmerston North
- Wed 15 November, 9am-4.30
St Johns Church, Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
Contact: sandyo@nzctu.org.nz

PaEE Training
CTU short training sessions for union organisers, educators, negotiators and senior delegates participating in pay and employment equity reviews, focusing on the pay investigation and remedial pay settlement aspects of the reviews.
Akld: Mon 6 Nov, 1-4pm
Wgtn:Weds 8 Nov, 9am-12
ChCh: Thurs 30 Nov, 11-2pm
Contact: nikkib@nzctu.org.nz

Seminar on Workplace Financial Education, Superannuation and KiwiSaver
Wednesday 8 November, 0930-1230
RSA Boardroom, 2nd Floor, 181 Willis Street (opposite the CTU), Wellington. Contact: andrewc@nzctu.org.nz, (04) 385 1334 x 836

YUM video conference.
4.30pm, Friday 17 Nov
Wellington- PSA House Aurora Tce
Auckland- PSA House, beside Trades Hall on Gt North Rd
erinp@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