The Unionist, Issue 82, June 30 2007

CTU Women’s Council Biennial Conference, problems with a youth rates proposal and a major health and safety court decision feature in this week’s Unionist.

Building Our Power: Union Women In Action

CTU conference season continues this week, with the biennial Women’s Conference happening in Wellington yesterday and today.
 
The theme of the conference is Building Our Power: Union Women In Action, and is about letting women know how to exercise their power at work, in their communities and politically. Around 190 union women are attending.

Speakers at the conference include Prime Minister Helen Clark, Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Sue Bradford, CTU officers Carol Beaumont, Helen Kelly and Sharon Clair, Human Rights Commissioner Judy McGregor and Australian CTU Industrial Officer Cath Botwell. 

Cath Botwell will discuss what is happening in Australia industrially and politically, especially for women, including an update on the Australian unions political campaign Your Rights At Work. 

Te Runanga on Nga Kaimahi Maori and Out @ Work have held their conferences already this year, and Youth Union Movement and Komiti Pasefika are holding their biennial gatherings in August, ahead of CTU biennial conference in October 15-17.

Youth Rates Proposal Needs Work says CTU

“Parliament is certainly attempting to move forward on abolishing youth rates but the proposal on the table has problems,” Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said this Saturday.

The Transport and Industrial Relations select committee yesterday released their report on the Minimum Wage (Abolition of Age Discrimination) Amendment Bill.  The select committee favours an amendment creating a ‘new entrant’ provision, to allow youth rates to continue to be paid in a young workers’ first 200 hours, with any employer, while they are between 16 and 18 years of age. 

“The CTU thinks it is untenable that workers should be discriminated against solely on the basis of age.  We remain in favour of the complete removal of youth rates, and see problems with the 200 hours ‘new entrant’ rate proposal.”

“A part time worker on ten hours a week would take nearly half a year to qualify for the regular minimum wage when, using the 200 hours proposal’s logic, they would already be well up-to-speed on the work by then.”

“We also remind people that a training rate exists for workers genuinely involved in training for a work-related qualification, and a distinction needs to be drawn between this exemption and someone being paid less just because of their age.

“Movement is being made on youth rates, but our overall policy goal must still be the abolition of youth rates entirely.  We will work with Members of Parliament as the bill goes through committee stages in the House to hopefully improve it,” Carol Beaumont said.

Unions would also continue to campaign industrially to get rid of youth rates in employment agreements through collective bargaining with employers, Carol Beaumont said.

Record Fine Strongest Signal Yet To Take Health and Safety Seriously - CTU

“The record fine awarded against Stresscrete today over the death of a concrete worker in 2005 is the strongest signal yet that ensuring the safety of workers must be taken more seriously,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said yesterday.

Stresscrete, a part of Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure, was on Friday fined $225,000 in the Papakura District Court, in addition to other costs, awards and reparation already paid to the man’s family.

“A key aspect of the 2002 amendments to the Health and Safety in Employment Act was the increase in maximum fines, to act as deterrent to the minority of employers who demonstrate the serious failure to comply with their legal obligations.”

“Workplace deaths are in so many cases preventable.  Today’s record fine, and the several tragic fatalities at work in the last fortnight serve as a reminder to intensify our efforts to ensure all workers in New Zealand are safe,” Carol Beaumont said.

CTU Weekly Events Calendar

Unions Local

Unions Tauranga
Mon 9 July, 4pm.
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt Maunganui. 
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Auckland
Thur 12 July, 4pm
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Waikato
Thur July 12, 5.15pm
TUC, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton
fiona.mcqueen@epmu.org.nz

Unions Canterbury
Tues July 17, 4pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Northland
Tue 24 July 2007, 5pm
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Manawatu
Fri July 27, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St, Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Unions Gisborne
Thur Aug 9, 4.30pm.
Trades & Labour Hall, Corner Customhouse St. & Childers Rd.
cryan@nduunion.org.nz

Unions Southland
Tues Aug 14 2007, 4pm,
Trades Hall, 32 Jed St, Invercargill
Dayle.Belcher@nzei.org.nz

Unions Wellington
Mon Aug 20, 5pm
NZCTU, Level 7, 178 Willis St.
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Other Meetings and Campaigns

Rise up! Solidarity action with young Rainbows End workers
What: Solidarity action with young minimum wage workers at Rainbows End who are negotiating their first collective agreement. They are currently on minimum wage and are organizing to get rid of youth rates!
When: Saturday, 11.00am Saturday, 30 June 2007
Where: Rainbows End, cnr Great South & Wiri Station rd Manukau City Auckland
Why? Young workers at Rainbows End in Manukau need our help. The young minimum wage workers at Rainbows End have been organizing with the National Distribution Union for better wages, an end to youth rates, secure hours and recognition of long service. The adult workers are on $11.25 and young workers are on $9. Long servicing staff members (2 years-10 years) are on $11.25-$13.10 with the majority still on the minimum wage.
For further information contact Simon on (021) 922-551.

A Birthday Party for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
The Only Nobel Laureate Under Unjust and Prolonged Detention
Sunday, 1 July, 7pm
Waipapa Marae University of Auckland Wynyard St.
Tickets $35
Proceeds to Aung San Suu Kyi’s Prospect Burma for Burmese scholarships and to NZ Burma Support
Contact: 09-828-4855, 021-166-4294, 021-121-8118
“Please use your liberty to promote ours” - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 

Unions Wellington
FIRST FRIDAY DRINKS
The regular monthly get together
After work
Friday July 6th
Brix Bar
Abel Tasman Hotel
Cnr.Willis & Dixon Streets

Workers Education Association Forums
Mondays 12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
"Don't need no - EDUCATION" ?
July 2nd on the NCEA
With Judie Alison PPTA
Centre for Global Action
2nd Floor, James Smiths Bldg
cnr. Cuba St & Manners Mall
Wellington
pbolster@anet.co.nz

THE RED FLAG SOCIAL CLUB INVITES YOU TO CELEBRATE BASTILLE DAY
in French style with Bob Campbell´s (MW)  WINE QUIZ.
Friday 6 July, Trades Hall, 149 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Social Club facilities open at 5.00pm.  Quiz starts at 6.00pm.  $5.00 per person for tasting wine and cheeses. Get a team of 4/6 people together or come on your own and we will make up the teams when you get there.
ALL WELCOME.
For further information or to book your table, contact Ros Hiini, Working Women’s Resource Centre, (09) 379-7906, 021-299-2921, Email wwrc@ihug.co.nz

Hear a speaker from Western Sahara - Africa's last colony. An inspiring example of resistance and survival.
Malainan Lakhal, a journalist, was forced to flee Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara in 2000 after being targeted by the regime for his activities as a leader of Saharawi resistance. He now works in the camps for the Saharawi Press Service, bringing news of his peoples' struggle to the world. He will speak of the struggle in the Moroccan-occupied territories today and the life of Saharawis in the camps.
Wellington: Thursday, July 19, open doors at 5.30pm, meeting at 6pm, Turnbull House, Bowen St. Ph Awras 027 3036037
Hamilton: Friday, July 20, open doors at 7pm, meeting at 7.30pm, Methodist Church Centre, 62 London St. Hosted by Corso
Auckland: Monday July 23. 7.30pm , Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Hosted by Global Peace and Justice.
For More information: www.awsa.org.au  Contact: Annalucia Vermunt 09 5257407, NZ Western Sahara Group Patrick Rooney juntomundo@gmail.com

VISIT CUBA THIS SUMMER
Registrations are open for the 25th Southern Cross Brigade to Cuba. Members of the Brigade, which is made up of Australians and New Zealanders, spend approximately four weeks in Cuba, leaving 27th December and returning 24th January.  The programme is varied and includes social occasions, dance lessons, cultural events, talks by community groups e.g. the Women’s Federation, visits to schools, hospitals and trade unions, resorts and national parks, as well as free time in Havana, and some voluntary work is included in the programme.
The trip, suitable for people of any age group, all up costs $5500, including airfare, spending money and all accommodation and meals.  For further enquiries including a more detailed description of the trip, and registration, email Ina at inashina@clear.net.nz or Paul at wkcultur@ihug.co.nz, or telephone Paul on (03) 732-4010.

CALL-OUT TO ACTIVIST PROJECTS AND ORGANISATIONS TO APPEAR IN AN ACTIVIST ORGANISER DIARY FOR 2008 - Organised Chaos is a Wellington based project to create an activist organiser diary for Aotearoa for the year 2008, with a focus on organised resistance against oppression. The organiser will include an activist directory. So, this is a call to all radical, activist, grass-roots projects and organisations that would like to appear in the organiser to write us a sentence about who you are, what you are doing and how people can contact you. (We are only interested in non-party political groups). Please let us know by 1st August. Secondly, if you know of any events happening next year please let us know by 1st September at the latest and write a brief description of the event, place, time, date and contact details where people can get further information. Email: organisedchaos2008@yahoo.com The Organised Chaos 2008 Crew.

CTU Meetings, training

Stage 3 Health & Safety Launch
The Wellington celebration for the launch of stage three training will be held on the 8th August. There will be a cocktail function hosted by the Mayor with Ross Wilson, Business NZ, ACC and DoL as speakers. It would be great to see lots of health and safety reps so make sure you are on the list by contacting Renee Habluetzel at  reneeh@nzctu.org.nz or phone 04 385 1334 x824

CTU KiwiSaver Meeting
Tues 17 July, 9.30 to 12.30
NZCTU, Level 7, 178 Willis St, Wellington.
peterc@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