THE UNIONIST: Wages, Burma, Rail buy back, and views from across the ditch
The Council of Trade Unions says that rises in workers’ wages are welcome, but they are not being felt universally and they need to keep on rising. The Unionist this week also reports on efforts to support Burma, the rail buy back, two festivals on right now and a view from across the ditch.
Wages need to keep rising – CTU
The Council of Trade Unions said this week that rises in workers’ wages are welcome, but they are not being felt universally and they need to keep on rising.
“As shown in Statistics NZ wage figures this week the main reasons for wage rises were to reflect the cost of living, labour market demand for workers, and the results of collective bargaining by unions,” CTU President Helen Kelly said on Monday.
“This comes at a time when workers are feeling the cost of rising food, fuel, rent and mortgage interest rates, cost increases which are likely to continue and so wages need to keep on rising.”
The CTU believes that there is room for continued wage rises for workers despite the warning shots from the Reserve Bank, she said. “The CTU is calling for a $15 minimum wage, for more workers to be covered by collective agreements so they can get reasonable wage increases, and for ongoing investment in skills, technology and infrastructure alongside improved workplace practices to lift productivity."
Also out this week were Stats NZ employment figures showing an increase in unemployment, from 3.4% to 3.6%. Overall, there were 29,000 fewer jobs in the economy, and particular focus yesterday was around the fact that the majority of the decrease in jobs were ones held by women.
CTU secretary Carol Beaumont told the Nine to Noon programme this morning that while it was too early to take a trend from the figures, any drop in jobs in the economy was a concern.
She said there were a number of policy initiatives that have come into effect supporting women in work, that we need to keep improving on.
“Things like paid parental leave, access to early childhood education, the conversation that’s now going on about breastfeeding breaks, the flexible working hours legislation coming in in July, these are important discussions for us as a society about what sort of way we want to go forward.”
“Some women have access to all of those things, but unfortunately the majority of women don’t necessarily. What we’re saying is that that should be a bottom line for our economy, and there are many successful economies where in fact those wrap around family policies are working exceptionally well. That’s where we are heading, and it’s in the right direction," she said.
Audio links: Click here for today's Nine to Noon page to hear CTU secretary Carol Beaumont on the programme (or here to download the podcast). Click here to listen to CTU economist Peter Conway on Checkpoint last night, or here on Morning Report today (or the podcast here). (Note: Radio NZ interviews are typically up on the website for seven days only).
Support for Burma
The President of the CTU Helen Kelly and the Director of the New Zealand Office of the National Council for the Union of Burma, Naing Ko Ko this week jointly called on New Zealanders to give generously to Burma cyclone relief.
“This is a humanitarian disaster and we are asking all New Zealanders to donate to the disaster relief work already under way by the Red Cross and Oxfam,” Helen Kelly and Naing Ko Ko said.
The CTU has a close relationship with the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma which is part of the NCUB” Helen Kelly said. “The FTUB has asked for our support on behalf of the people of Burma.”
“The Red Cross and Oxfam have assured us that they are delivering humanitarian assistance directly to the people of Burma who are in such desperate need,” Naing Ko Ko said.
Naing Ko Ko was a student leader in the 1988 student pro-democracy uprising in Burma who spent 7 years in prison. He has family in Burma who he hasn’t seen for more than 12 years.
How: Donations are being accepted by a number of organisations in New Zealand, including Oxfam (click here) and the Red Cross (click here), whom the CTU has had discussions with.
A view from across the ditch
The President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions was in New Zealand this week, and spoke to Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report about how things were looking for Australian workers, 6 months on from their federal election last year.
For two years, the Australian union movement campaigned to get rid of John Howard’s WorkChoices legislation, which removed unfair dismissal protection for millions of Australian workers, gave employers the right to force workers on to individual contracts, and striped back many other terms and conditions.
Sharan Burrow spoke about the damage caused to wages and conditions by WorkChoices and 11 years of a conservative government.
“It was devastating. $44 less in real terms over three years for our most vulnerable workers, that’s without even facing the escalating costs that both countries are facing by way of inflationary pressures and the like.”
Sharan Burrow said the first thing the new government did was eradicate individual contracts and return collective bargaining rights and safety nets for workers.
She also sounded a warning to New Zealand workers at this election.
“We say to your workers here, be very careful, you don’t want to go backwards to the early 90s, it’s a world that is not good for working people. Rights at work are fundamental.”
“Certainly when we look across the ditch….we see you with a rights base that’s been reconstructed after the era of the early 90s that does much better things with collective bargaining, much more respectful of workers. And we were so envious of that in the last eleven years. So be careful, don’t go backwards, that’s our message.”
You can listen to the interview online here, or download a podcast here. (Note: Radio NZ interviews are typically up on the website for seven days only).
Govt buys back rail
Transport unions have this week welcomed news that the government had completed the repurchase of the national train and ferry assets.
“The RMTU campaigned long and hard to get the Labour led Government to buy back the rail tracks but we always knew that in order to have the rail industry deliver what this country needs that they couldn’t stop there. We have all been urging the Government to go the final step to renationalize the network,” Rail and Maritime Transport Union general secretary Wayne Butson said.
“The RMTU is keen to be a part of the rejuvenation of the NZ rail industry so that it can deliver the safe sustainable transport option demanded by global warming and escalating fuel prices, and we call upon the Government to make strong early statements of investment in new locomotives and wagons.”
The Maritime Union said the buyback of rail and ferries was a good step towards rebuilding a top quality transport system in New Zealand.
"Hopefully this is the closing chapter of the rail saga that goes back to the right-wing political cabal who stripped New Zealand's assets and sold them to their mates during the 1980's and 1990's," Maritime Union general secretary Trevor Hanson said.
"We need some more speed in developing New Zealand-owned coastal shipping, establishing a national ports strategy, and ensuring our transport infrastructure is developed for the benefit of New Zealand, not private interest groups or overseas shareholders." Mr Hanson said that shipping and rail would be the two transport modes of the future as fuel prices, road congestion and environmental problems continue to grow.
Video/Audio: RMTU's Wayne Butson on Radio Live (click here), and on TV3's Sunrise programme (click here).
Two festivals now on - fair trade and human rights films
Fair Trade fortnight 2008 started last Friday and runs to the 18th of May. There is plenty happening during the fortnight, and details of events, and how you and your friends and family can get involved, can be found at www.fairtrade.org.nz/ftf08
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Film Festival is back, and includes Dunedin for the first time. Ten feature films and seven short films address current issues in Human Rights. The Festival provides a safe space to explore and debate national and international human rights issues. To assist this, after each screening the festival has organised a discussion forum examining issues raised by the films. Audience members are encouraged to listen to and join in the discussion.
Festival dates are: Wellington 8 - 16 May, Paramount Theatre; Auckland 15 - 23 May, Rialto Newmarket; Christchurch 22 - 30 May, Regent on Worcester; Dunedin 29 May - 6 June, Rialto Dunedin. For more information, visit
http://www.humanrightsfilmfest.net.nz
Weekly Events Calendar
Unions Local
Unions Tauranga
Mon May 12, 4pm.
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt Maunganui.
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz
Unions Auckland
Thur May 15, 4pm
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz
Unions Otago Candidates / MP’s forum
Friday 16th May 2008, 5pm. Followed by drink at Duke of Wellington bar afterwards.
Seminar room, 3rd floor, Victoria Chambers, 7 Crawford Street, Dunedin.
Indication of attendance appreciated: Jenny McCullum on 477 6578 or jennym@nzno.org.nz
Unions Canterbury
Tues May 20, 4pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch
karena.brown@epmu.org.nz
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 Manawatu
Friday May 30, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St, Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz
Unions Gisborne
Wed June 4, 5.15pm 
Trade Union Centre - Cnr Childers Rd and Customhouse Street
Colleen.Ryan@ndu.org.nz
Other Events and Campaigns
"Blackball 08" - Wellington Commemoration
Saturday May 10th 2008, 10.30 a.m. – 4.30pm
WEA Rooms, 3rd Floor Anvil House, 138 Wakefield St – opposite Fowler Centre
Refreshments provided. Lunch break 1pm – 2pm in the local cafes
Entry - $10 or koha.
See full details in last week's Unionist - click here.
Post Budget Briefings
- AUCKLAND: Child Poverty Action Group, eighth annual Post-Budget Breakfast. Speakers: Dr Steve Poletti (University of Auckland, Economics and School of Business; author – tax chapter, CPAG’s ‘Left Behind’), Alan Johnson (senior policy analyst, Salvation Army; CPAG housing author and spokesperson incl ‘Left Behind’), Emcee Dr Susan St John co-editor CPAG’s ‘Left Behind: How social and income inequalities damage NZ children.’ 7:30am – 8:45am. Friday, May 23rd. RSVP please with advance payment for catering: click here for full details (PDF document)
- WELLINGTON: Public Health Association of New Zealand Post-Budget Breakfast
Friday 23 May 7.15 am – 9.00 am. Speakers: Anne Else: Writer, and campaigner, Child Poverty Action Group; Peter Conway: economist, NZ Council of Trade Unions; Celia Wade-Brown: Wellington City Councillor and President of Living Streets Aotearoa; Ana Fetu & Kayla Fonoti: students at Viard College and winning speakers at University of Otago, Wellington’s recent Pacific Students Leadership Day. RSVP - full details click here (word document).
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
The Red Flag Social Club
invites you to a wine option evening (wine tasting quiz)
$5.00 per person,
Friday 16th May, Trades Hall, 149 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
The Social club will open at 5.00pm, the Wine Quiz will start at 6.00pm
Light refreshments will be served.
Ros Hiini, Organiser, Working Womens Resource Centre, 09 379 7906, wwrc@ihug.co.nz
CTU Meetings, Training
Skills Strategy Consultation 
Unions, business, the government and industry training organisations last week launched consultation on the New Zealand Skills Strategy. 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.
CTU Climate Change Working Group
Tues 13 May, 2-4pm
CTU Meeting Room, 7th Floor, Education House, 178 Willis Street, Wellington.
Agenda items will include a report from Marilyn Head from NZNO who is attending on behalf of the CTU the ILO Green Jobs Research Conference: Green Jobs for Asia and the Pacific at Niigata, Japan from 21-23 April 2008, an update on the Emissions Trading Bill and a progress report on the CTU Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Project with Business NZ and EECA.
peterc@nzctu.org.nz
Union briefing from MFAT on China FTA
Weds 14 May, 2 - 4pm
Fellowship Room, St Johns Conference Centre, cnr Willis & Dixon St
peterc@nzctu.org.nz
CTU Women's Council
Thurs 15 May , 9.30 - 4pm
NZCTU, Wellington.
eileenb@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.
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:
- Thursday 22 May 2008, 9 am - 4.30 pm - South Auckland
- Monday 9 June, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Whangarei
- Friday 20 June, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Dunedin
- We are also seeking expressions of interest for workshops to be held North Shore, Palmerston North later in June and Wellington in July.
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
