THE UNIONIST: Keep ACC scheme public; improvements in the social wage

Anyone wanting to privatise ACC should think twice, the Council of Trade Unions warned this week.  The Unionist this week also reports on the improvements for workers that took affect earlier this week, and our weekly events calendar.

Feature article: Keep ACC scheme public say unions

“The jury is in – ACC is a world leader and brings both economic benefits and social benefits to the country.  The case to retain this core asset is now clear,” CTU president Helen Kelly said this week, in response to an independent report published by ACC this week on the social and economic impacts of the scheme.

“All New Zealanders benefit from ACC.  Workers and employers have cheaper premiums than overseas privatised schemes offer, non earners including children and older people are covered, sports people are covered.  For all these groups their cover is better, and for workers, they are back at work on the job earning their full wage quicker.”

“In Australia for example, workers pay on average $2 in every $100 towards their worker compensation scheme.  In New Zealand, under ACC, it is 78 cents per $100 – and this is for better cover!”

“The report also found that ACC offered broader coverage than every other scheme in the world, and other schemes are generally more fragmented, complicated and more narrowly focused.”

“Given the demonstrable economic and social benefit to New Zealand, National should tell voters why ideology should rule when it comes to their policy of privatising one of New Zealand’s best assets,” Helen Kelly said.

The Public Service Association said the report provided a ‘heads up’ for the country’s employers by showing that having private companies provide accident compensation would increase their costs.

“Pricewaterhouse Coopers says the higher cost of privatised schemes is likely to be driven by the need to cover profit margins and marketing expenses,” PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff said.

“As a result the report’s authors recommend that New Zealand retain its current system of having the state as the only provider of accident compensation,” he said.

The PSA also questioned National intentions for the scheme.

“Is it planning to increase costs to employers, by opening up accident compensation to private companies, as stated in its 2005 election policy?  Or will it retain the lower costs and huge economic and social benefits of our current state provided scheme?,” Richard Wagstaff said.

Employment and ACC lawyer Hazel Armstrong said any move to privatise ACC would not benefit claimants.

"Many of the manual workers I come across have had multiple injuries over the years from work, sports and road accidents."

"Just today I was representing someone who had a motor injury and two work injuries, spanning twenty years, and we are working with ACC to recognise that he needs an overall approach to his treatment taking into account the different injuries he had."

"If we had a privatised scheme, you would not get a holistic approach to rehabilitation and treatment, as claimants would go from one insurance company to the next. It would increase costs for claimants, and hold up their recovery," Hazel Armstrong said.

Social wage improvements make difference for working families

“There is clearly more to be done to lift New Zealanders living standards, but minimum wage rises coming into effect this week coupled with improvements to the social wage in areas like health, education and housing, show we are going about it in the right way,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the minimum wage increased to $12 an hour, KiwiSaver employer credits came into effect, and cost of living increases to benefits took effect.

“9 years through the eyes of workers has seen steady improvements to the social wage. Working people have seen cheaper doctors visits and prescriptions, state housing income related rentals, 20 hours free early childhood education, Working for Families, Kiwi Saver, 4 weeks annual leave, 14 weeks paid parental leave and time and a half for statutory holiday work. 

"Add this to the 71 per cent increase in the minimum wage since 1999, and the removal of youth rates for 16 and 17 year old workers after 200 hours or 3 months, whichever is sooner.”

“The CTU wants to see more progress, with better pay for low waged workers and stronger public services, not cuts to them.  We want to build better and stronger work rights, through improvements in areas like paid parental leave, protections for casual workers and tackling excessive hours and low pay.”

The Unite Union lead the SuperSizeMyPay campaign in 2006, and said this week that these sorts of campaigns, and the public support that they develop, help bring about change from companies and government.

"People can directly influence policy by becoming involved and making it clear what they want collectively and we have seen evidence of this with the new minimum wage legislation," Unite National Secretary Matt McCarten said.

"A significant aspect of this wage rise is the fact that for years people have been living on less than a liveable wage. While a $12 minimum is a move towards a fair and liveable wage for working people, the reality is that it is still not a sustainable amount of money.  While getting rid of youth rates and increasing the minimum wage to $12 an hour are two important victories, we will continue to push towards a $15 minimum wage for all as our next goal," he said.

Weekly Events Calendar

Unions Local

Unions Wellington - election planning 
Tuesday 1 April, 4:00 p.m.
NZCTU Boardroom, Wellington
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Unions Waikato
Wednesday 2 April 2008, 5.15pm
Trade Union Centre, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton
waikatotuc@xtra.co.nz

Unions Gisborne
Wed 9 April, 5.15pm
Trade Union Centre - Cnr Childers Rd and Customhouse Street
Colleen.Ryan@ndu.org.nz

Unions West Coast
Fri April 11, 5pm
RSA Greymouth
wkcultur@ihug.co.nz

Unions Tauranga
Mon 14 April, 4pm.
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt Maunganui. 
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz

Unions Otago
Mon 14 April, 7.00pm
Downstairs at The Duke of Wellington, 1 Queens Garden, Dunedin
glendaa@nzno.org.nz

Unions Canterbury
Tues April 15, 7pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch
karena.brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Auckland
Wed 23 April, 4pm
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz

Unions Northland
Tue 29 April, 4pm
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz

Other Events and Campaigns

Workers Memorial Day
Workers Memorial Day is on April 28th each year and is the day when we “mourn for the dead, but fight for the living”, drawing attention to the plight of the hundreds of New Zealand workers who still die every year as a result of their work.   As they come in, events are being added to this page on the CTU website: http://union.org.nz/campaigns/workersmemorialday.  Visit this page for details of events in your area.

CTU-Government Forums
Wellington Forum: Wednesday April 16 - Deloitte Lounge, Westpac Stadium 4.30pm - 9.30pm Wanganui Mini Forum: Thursday April 17, Wanganui Function Centre, Wanganui Racecourse, Purnell Street, 5.30-7.30pm Contact your union for more details, or Andrew Chick at the CTU: andrewc@nzctu.org.nz

May Day - Auckland
* March on May 1st for InternationalWorkers Day
5:00pm Rally @ Britomart - open microphone, (Corner of Customs and Queen Streets), 5:30pm March up to Queen Street to Aotea Square to hear keynote speakers
* May Day Dinner will take place on Saturday 3 May, starting at 6.00pm at the Onehunga RSA, dinner will be served at 7.30pm, with short speeches and entertainment.  There will be a cash bar, the bar prices are extremely reasonable and affordable (at club prices). 
linda.holt@psa.org.nz

Manawatu MayDay Concert
The 14th annual Manawatu MayDay Concert, celebrating International Workers Day, will be held at 7.30pm Saturday 3 May at the Regent Theatre in Palmerston North. Its a great night of fun and solidarity in the form of song, music, dance and performance art from union, community groups and individuals from throughout NZ. Entry fee is a mere gold coin donation thanks to major support by the NZCTU. For more info contact dion.martin@ndu.org.nz

Unions Wellington May Day Dinner
6:00 - 9:30 p.m - Thursday May 1st
Grand Century Restaurant, Tory Street
[Unions will be buying ‘tables’, and tickets will be available from your union]

The Hollow Men - in Auckland
Highly-acclaimed New Zealand play The Hollow Men comes to Auckland in April for a strictly limited season.  Based on Nicky Hager’s controversial book and adapted by Dean Parker, The Hollow Men is at Maidment Theatre, Auckland from Thursday 10 April to Saturday 19 April for 10 performances only.  The Hollow Men examines the months of Don Brash’s leadership of the National Party leading up to the 2005 election and is a riveting piece of new documentary theatre.

Workers Education Association
"The Politics of Debt" Forums
Monday 7th April 12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Raewyn Fox, Family Budgeting Service
"Debtors, Debt & the Community'
W E A Rooms, 3rd Floor, Anvil House
138 Wakefield Street

“Public lecture by Kate Green, CEO CPAG UK, in Auckland on Mon 14 April at 7pm.
Topic is “Child Poverty: What makes a difference? Lessons from the UK.”
Monday, April 14th, 2008 7pm
University of Auckland Conference Centre
Room ENG 439, 22 Symonds St, Auckland City.
Entry by koha.”
http://www.cpag.org.nz

CTU Meetings, Training

CTU Low Pay meeting
Tuesday 8th April 2008, 9.30 to 12.30
NDU Offices, 120 Church Street, Onehunga, Auckland
peterc@nzctu.org.nz

CTU OSH Group (Occupational Safety and Health Group)
Thursday 17th April, 9am – 4pm
NZCTU National Office, Level 7, West Block, Education House, 178 Willis St., Wellington
rosaleenl@nzctu.org.nz

Learning Reps Training: Progressive Enterprises
Thursday & Friday, 10th & 11th April
NDU Offices, 120 Church St, Onehunga, Auckland
marym@nzctu.org.nz  

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.

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 2 workshops - Register now for one of these workshops:

Friday 11 April 2008, 9 am - 4.30 pm – Petone, Wellington Thursday 22 May 2008, 9 am - 4.30 pm - Manukau, South Auckland

CANCELLED Wednesday 2 April 2008, 9 am - 4.30 pm – New Plymouth CANCELLED CANCELLED Friday 4 April 2008, 9 am - 4.30 pm – Palmerston North REGISTRATIONS TRANSFERRED TO PETONE

Dates for 2008 workshops and Registration forms for these workshops above 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