The Unionist, Issue 87, August 31 2007

The Learning Reps project’s first graduation, locked out Gateway workers, the Runanga stall at Koroneihana and an upcoming CTU forum on election funding feature in this week’s Unionist.

Learning Reps Graduation

Learning Reps who completed the first stage of their training were honoured at a graduation ceremony at the Council of Trade Unions last week.

The Learning Rep is a new representative role, elected by the workers in an enterprise to play a leadership role in encouraging workplace learning. 

Learning Reps graduates, with CTU secretary Carol Beaumont

It is an initiative of the Council of Trade Unions, funded through the Tertiary Education Commission as part of the tripartite Skill NZ programme involving the TEC, the NZCTU, Business NZ and the Industry Training Federation.

Last week’s event was the first graduation in the Learning Reps project, and included members of the Maritime Union, the Rail & Maritime Transport Union and the Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota.

Robyn Campbell found out about the project through information from her union and was immediately interested.

“The thing I’m interested in is literacy,” she told The Unionist at the graduation last week.  “In our workforce, lots of people don’t have the ability to read and write as well as they could.”

She found the programme useful.  “The training was cool, because we could throw ideas at each other, and it was much better than doing it alone.  When I hit a blank on my assignment I rang up another Rep and got some feedback.”

Russell Baines is Area Manager for Idea Services in Wellington and the Hutt Valley, and he was at the launch also, and also discussed the importance of literacy.

"Our organisation made a commitment to working with the Learning Reps project, reflected in the current Collective Employment Agreement,” he said.

“Ours is workforce where even literacy can be a struggle for some.  It was a good feeling, knowing that the impetus was coming from both bottom up from the workforce and from management alike.  It was great to see the number of Idea Services workers in the first cohort, and I'm looking forward to Stage 2."

Many Learning Reps are also Health and Safety reps, and in time, any credits workers attain through the Learning Reps programme will be able to built into an overall qualification on the skills of being a worker representative.

There is more information about new developments in the Learning Reps project in their July newsletter, accessible here http://www.learningreps.org.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145844904 

Gateway Hotel Workers Locked Out

“It’s very hard being locked out with a new baby. This is a very stressful time for me and my family and it’s made harder by not having money to pay the bills,” hotel worker Alone Ngaro said this week.

She is one of twelve low-wage workers at the Airport Gateway Hotel in Auckland who are into their fifth week of being locked out, after they were told they can’t come back to work until they drop their demands for a collective agreement and accept the rate the hotel management has set.

Unite organiser Daphna Whitmore represents Ngaro and her co-workers and says the hotel’s management have been extremely aggressive.

“These workers haven’t asked for much but they’ve been met with a manager who would rather starve them out than pay them anything approaching a living wage.

Unions are being asked to pledge solidarity with the locked out workers and help them out by supporting them on the picket line, and giving financial support. 

The locked out workers and their supporters are picketing at 206 Kirkbride Rd, Mangere, from 10am to 6pm seven days a week. 

You can give financial support to the locked-out workers in two ways – through taking on raffle tickets and selling them on worksites and in communities, or by organising a worksite collection and depositing the money directly.  Contact Unite on 0800 2 Unite / 0800 286 483 for raffle tickets, which come in blocks of 200 and are sold at $2 each.  The account for deposits is 12-3022-0406830-00, with the reference “Gateway Lockout”

Runanga at Koroneihana, 2007

Koroneihana Stall

The CTU Runanga’s recent stall at Koroneihana (or Coronation) was another successful and exciting event, CTU vice president Maori Sharon Clair said.

“It was well visited.  We had a large number of people interested in youth rates and signing the petition.  We also had people keen to hear how the Hui Taumata Maori workforce development work is progressing.”

“It was wonderful to have our Kaumatua Kiwhare Mihaka attend this year’s stall, along with a good contingent of PSA maori membership.  Thanks also to the NZNO for their ongoing support and resourcing of our activities.”

“This year’s Koroneihana, was the first anniversary of the crowning of the Maori King Tuheitia Paki, as well as the anniversary of remembering the passing of Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.”

“There was a sense of hope and belief at Koroneihana about where we are heading.”

Runanga at Koroneihana, 2007

“What was particularly encouraging was King Tuheitia’s address.  He made comment on the importance of lifelong learning, and that the realisation that education would play a big part in allowing Maori to reach our potential.  This aligned with our kaupaua on Maori skills and workforce development, and so was very affirming to have this discussed at that level.”

You can watch King Tuhetia’s speech here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/767.html

CTU Forum on election funding

The Council of Trade Unions has organised a follow up to its forum earlier this year on election funding. 

In late March, 250 people attended a CTU forum in Wellington, and 60 at an event in Auckland, to consider the how to restore integrity and transparency to election campaign funding, and what needed to change so ordinary New Zealanders felt they had an equal say in our political system.  An audio podcast of the Wellington event is available from http://union.org.nz/electionfunding. 

The Electoral Finance Bill has now been tabled, and this follow up forum is designed to help people who wish to make submissions to the Bill, which are due on September 7.

There will be time available at the meeting for people to write and send brief submissions on the night, and speakers at the forum include Steven Price, Coalition for Open Government spokesperson and Hollow Men author Nicky Hager again.

The event is on Tuesday September 4 2007, 6pm-7.30pm, at the ANZAC House Meeting Room, 181 Willis St, Wellington. 

Weekly Events Calendar.

Unions Local, Campaigns, Other

Unions Waikato
Thurs 6 September, 5.15pm
Waikato Trade Union Centre Hall.
waikatotuc@xtra.co.nz

Welcome to The Red Flag Social Club’s Quiz Night
Test your mental faculties, your memory, and our patience.
Join us on Friday 7 September at Trades Hall, 149 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, from 5.30pm.  Pizza supper provided.  $10.00 per person.

TALKING UNION
All Welcome
5:15 - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 6th Septmeber
NZCTU Board Room
7th Floor Education House
178 Willis Street
Wellington 

Workers Education Association
Monday 3rd September 12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Local Democracy Perspectives
Councillor Celia Wade-Brown
"The Environmental Perspective"
Centre for Global Action
2nd Floor, James Smiths Bldg
cnr. Cuba St & Manners Mall
Wellington
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Unions Wellington
FIRST FRIDAY DRINKS
The regular monthly get together
After work
Friday September 7th
Brix Bar
Abel Tasman Hotel
Cnr.Willis & Dixon Streets

Adult Learners Week
Presentation of an Award to the NZCTU
for the "LEARNING REPS PROJECT"
6:00 - 7:30 p.m, Friday Sept 7th
Newtown Community Centre
Cnr. Rintoul & Colombo Streets
Newtown

CTU Meetings/ Training

CTU Migration Workgroup
Monday 3 September, 1.30pm-3.30pm
CTU Board Room, 7th Floor, Education House, 178 Willis Street
andrwec@nzctu.org.nz

Learning Reps Training, AFFCO Meatworks
Thurs & Fri 13th/14th September, 9am - 4.30pm
Downstairs Boardroom, Waikaremoana Maori Trust Board
Marine Parade West, Wairoa
marym@nzctu.org.nz    

Workplace Productivity Challenge Workshop
There is no charge to attend the Productivity Challenge Financial assistance is available to help with travel, wage reimbursement (if not on EREL or other leave) and other associated costs.  Next courses are:

Tuesday 11 September, 9 am – 4.30 pm
Methodist Centre, 62 London St
Hamilton
EREL deadline was 28 August, still accepting registrations productivity@nzctu.org.nz by 4 September

Monday 24 September, 9 am – 4.30 pm
St John’s Hall, Cnr Dixon and Willis Sts, Wellington EREL deadline 10 September productivity@nzctu.org.nz by 17 September

Thursday 4 October, 9 am – 4.30 pm
Fairfield House, Nelson
EREL deadline 20 September
productivity@nzctu.org.nz by 27 September
 
Thursday 25 October, 9 am – 4.30 pm
Te Manawa Museum, 396 Main St
Palmerston North
EREL deadline 11 October
productivity@nzctu.org.nz by 18 October

Thursday 1 November, 9 am – 4.30 pm
St Columba’s Centre, Ponsonby
Auckland Central
EREL deadline 18 October
productivity@nzctu.org.nz by 25 October

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