THE UNIONIST: Budget 2008, ANZ, Meat industry, May Day Cup

An earlier than usual Unionist this week reports on the government budget, the bank workers' union's call for ANZ National to come clean, more on the meat industry and a guest review of the recent Manawatu May Day Cup.  For more on the budget, visit the CTU's budget page here.

Budget 2008

“Workers are feeling the pinch with high food prices, rising petrol costs and high rents and mortgage payments, and tax cuts announced today, targeted at low and middle income earners, will clearly be welcome for many workers,” Council of Trade Unions vice president Richard Wagstaff said today. 

“But tax cuts can’t patch up for low wages, and with workers having some certainty now on the size of tax cuts, the acid is now on employers to lift wages.”

“The wage gap with Australia cannot be closed by tax cuts. It requires ongoing wage rises for New Zealand workers and it does not help workers or the economy if employers try to avoid decent pay rises because take-home pay has gone up through lower tax.”

“This Budget shows that even reasonably modest tax cuts still cost a lot of money. About $2.7 billion a year is needed to deliver tax cuts that start at $12 to $28 a week and rise to $22 to $55 a week.”

“This means less money is available to build on the improvements in social services we have seen in recent years. Unions are therefore concerned about the long term impact of these tax cuts on the social spending.”

Richard Wagstaff said that the focus on the Budget is mainly about personal tax cuts but the CTU also welcomes the earlier increase to family tax credits worth $275 million a year, the $168 million over 4 years for language, literacy and numeracy, broadband investment and funding to reduce the class sizes for new entrants to one teacher per 15 pupils.

The CTU also welcomed new spending on skills development.

“Supporting workers to improve their skills in language, literacy and numeracy is critical to building the high wage, high skill economy that everyone wants, and the budget’s significant allocation of $168 million over four years to roll out the Skills Strategy is a big vote of confidence for workplace learning,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said.

“8 out of 10 workers of the workforce of 2020 are at work today and so a good place to invest in people is directly at the workplace.  Improving access to skills development will help transform our economy and lift New Zealand’s productivity.”
 
Carol Beaumont said that as consensus grows around the call for a high skill approach, there also has to be acknowledgement of the need for higher wages.

Audio/video: CTU Economist Peter Conway on TVNZ Breakfast Business.  Video: click here.  Audio only podcast to download: click here. 

For more comment from unions on this year's budget - click on this link for the CTU's budget page:

ANZ National Bank should come clean on their politics

The bank workers union Finsec, is calling on ANZ National bank to come clean on their politics after reports in The Press newspaper that New Zealand’s most profitable bank is about to release a report critical of the amount the Government is spending on public services.

The Press article says ANZ National bank’s report will be critical of the amount the Government is spending on “back office” or non front line services.

“ANZ National’s position is almost word for word what board member Dr Don Brash might have said in his previous occupation as leader of the National Party. It is ridiculous for the bank to say they are not being political,” said Finsec Campaigns Director Andrew Campbell.

“It is of great concern that the report apparently focuses on “back office” jobs in the public sector given ANZ National has just announced its intention to offshore a good chunk of their back office work to Bangalore.”

“ANZ bank chief economist Cameron Bagrie has previously said he wouldn’t mind seeing unemployment increase to help curb inflation. Have he and the bank now identified who they want unemployed - public servants?”

“A strong public service is of benefit to all of us. Front line staff require back office support just as they do in any private sector business,” said Campbell.

Meat industry can’t afford the loss of skilled workers

The Council of Trade Unions has called for an active approach to finding jobs for meat workers being made redundant, following a further announcement today by PPCS, this time in relation to their Burnside site in Dunedin. 

“We need to ensure that the skills of these workers are not lost to the meat industry,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said on Monday.  “The workers need all possible assistance to find new work and that where possible they are retained in the industry.”

Last week the CTU supported the vote by rank and file Meat Workers Union delegates for a more coordinated meat industry, given the importance of the food sector to the economy, and to give better certainty to the workforce.

Video/Audio: CTU president Helen Kelly spoke with TVNZ Breakfast yesterday on recent redundancies and what unions were doing.  Click here to watch the video online, or click here to download the audio only podcast.

Review: 14th Manawatu MayDay Concert (Celebrating

Michael Houstoun plays Moonlight Sonata

‘International Worker’s Day)
Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North, Saturday 3 May 2008
Reviewed by Christin Watson

An eery silence reigned during Michael Houstoun’s beautiful playing of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ right up to when this patron of the Regent stood and bowed, then the heavens opened to thunderous applause, which brought Houstoun back for a second bow. His presence was the jewel in the crown for this almost full house who gladly paid up their gold coin donation at the door and then waited patiently with great expectations through to “NZ’s premier concert pianist’s” appearance which came dramatically as the lights dimmed after the interval

There was a wealth of variety to hold the audiences attention till then. The stunning banners were the backdrop to this excellent union inspired show that kept going at a fast pace.  From John Maynard’s solo opening trumpeting of the ‘Internationale’ and later the ‘Red Flag’ to the 3 piece band, ‘Not The Day Job’s’ original tunes plus their new singalong version of ‘Which side are you on?’, to the ‘Gillie Callum’ known as the Sword Dance from the Manawatu Scottish Societies champion Highland Dancers, who then followed up in the second half with an captivating rendition of the  occupational fling the ‘Sailors Hornpipe’

The Martin sisters two contemporary dances to ‘free Burma’ under an evoking DVD, and then the very captivating ‘Bread and Roses’, followed by John Thornley’s presentation of the almost unknown writer of ‘Te Harinui’, The late Willow Macky, brought the crowd to life as they sang along to her recording of ‘Manawatu’

The Martin Sisters, doing "Bread and Roses"

The MayDay Cup for the most outstanding overall performance (as a professional musician, Houstoun was not eligible) went to the Michelle Robinson Dancers with two items of great difference. An eight strong energetic group jived to T Rex’s, ‘Children of the Revolution’, and then Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush’s highly emotional song, ‘Don’t Give Up’ in the face of job layoffs, was acted out very evocatively by Haley Bowater and Stephen Sayer 
 
The Brazen Hussies gave their usual rousing political commentary as they harmonised for fair over free trade, and also teased the audience with their own view of Parliament, in ‘Bastards in the House’

But this night belonged to Houstoun. These new fans have experienced an entry point into revolutionary classical music that they will want more of. There is some talk that Houstoun has ordered the music of Frederick Rzewski’s ‘the People United Will Never Be Defeated’ ( a set of piano variations) for which MayDay concert organiser, Dion Martin, can only hope will bring on MayDay, MayDay, Houstoun, part two.

If the organisers of MayDay Concert can keep up this standard, then they will have no problem attracting the same large and delighted crowd over future years.

Weekly Events Calendar

Unions Local - remaining meetings in May

Unions Northland
Tue May 27, 4pm
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz

Unions Waikato
Weds May 28, 5.15 pm
Trade Union Centre, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton.
rob.george@nzei.org.nz

Unions Gisborne
Wed June 4, 5.15pm
Trade Union Centre - Cnr Childers Rd and Customhouse Street
Colleen.Ryan@ndu.org.nz

Unions Manawatu
Friday June 6, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St, Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Other Events and Campaigns

30 year commemoration of the eviction at Bastion Point – an invitation to unionists, whanau and friends
Ngati Whatua invites all people to attend the remembrance and reconciliation ceremony at Orakei Marae
Date: Sunday 25th of May, Powhiri at 10am – Hakari (lunch) 1pm
10am: Powhiri with reconciliation ceremony led by Sir Paul Reeves and Takutai Wikiriwhi
11am: Hikoi to Takaparawha
1pm:  Hakari – shared lunch
Location: Orakei Marae, Auckland City
Contact: bastionpoint@gmail.com; or phone 09 528 6747 or visit aucklandcitylibraries.com
Links: http://www.aucklandcitylibraries.com/exploreyourcommunity/events/bastion (Auckland Library) and http://www.maoritelevision.com/epanui/issue214.htm (Maori Television special, starting at 9pm Sunday).

NAU MAI HAERE MAI
Nga koutou o te motu
Te Runanga o Nga Kaimahi Maori o Aotearoa in conjunction with friends of Hone Tuwhare, are holding an informal commemoration, where we will celebrate Hone’s life and work.  We have chosen Matariki, often a time of reflection, to commemorate Hone’s life.
Time:  1400 – 1700 hrs
Date:  Saturday 21 June 2008
Place: Auditorium, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, Corner Molesworth & Aitken Streets, Wellington

CTU Meetings, Training

Skills Strategy Consultation
Unions, business, the government and industry training organisations launched consultation on the New Zealand Skills Strategy late last month.  A discussion document released by the groups identifies the importance to New Zealand of addressing not only how we develop the skills of our workforce, but how we make best use of those skills in our industries and workplaces.  Consultation will run till early June, and more information about the strategy is here.  There are a series of workshops in 23 locations to seek feedback from workers, employers, trainers and others about the strategy.  Click here for details of events in your area.

Maori Models of Organising - Nga Momo Whakaritenga
6 courses commencing in July across the country. Details will be advised closer to the time, but early enquiries to helent@nzctu.org.nz or 09-303-9018.

Developing Human Capability.   
A CTU session for union leaders and those with an interest in the field - with three visiting academics all involved in research on skills acquisition, and the application of skills in the workplace and links with productivity.  Ewart Keep - (Cardiff University), Ken Mayhew -(Oxford University) and John Buchannan – (Workplace Research Centre , University of Sydney).   John is best known for his work on developing Skills eco-systems in Australia.  
At the CTU  6th June – morning (probably 9.30 am – exact time will be advised).
More info: donf@nzctu.org.nz

Workplace Productivity Challenge Workshop 
There is no charge to attend the Productivity Challenge which is an EREL-approved course. Financial assistance is available for travel, wage reimbursement (if not on EREL or other leave) and other associated costs. There are places available in the following 3 workshops - Register now for one of these workshops:
- Monday 9 June, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Whangarei
- Friday 30 June, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Dunedin – NOTE Changed Date from previous advertising
- We are also seeking expressions of interest for additional workshops to be held South Auckland, North Shore, Palmerston North and Wellington.
Dates for 2008 workshops and Registration forms for these workshops are on the CTU website. If you wish to register interest in a future workshop please tell us your name and location and details of how to contact you. We will cater to demand and arrange something to suit you if you cannot find a location that suits you.
Email Sandy - productivity@nzctu.org.nz.
Check out the WPEP website for more information: http://union.org.nz/workplaceproductivity.html