The Unionist, Issue 44, 2 June 2006.

The Unionist this week reports on the Trans Tasman Food Unions Seminar earlier this week. 

Either read on, or you can download the printed version of The Unionist here (PDF file, 55 kb).

Trans Tasman Food Unions Seminar A Success

Food industry unions affiliated to the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and the Australian Council of Trade Unions gathered in Wellington this week in what was an historic first for the union movement. The seminar was opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark and had representation from 10 unions whose membership included food sector workers.

The idea for the gathering came about in recognition of the already strong bilateral links that exist between particular food unions, and aims to expand this to all food unions. The intention of the seminar was to build relationships and determine some concrete next steps.

CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said the meeting was a success.

"There was a strong sense of purpose from the unions present at the meeting. Our two countries face the same challenges in this sector and there is an increasing commonality of employers across the Tasman," said Carol Beaumont.

"Workers have a vital interest in the success of the food sector, and the meeting looked at ways workers could better contribute to its development. Unions support increased productivity through the development of a high skill, high value economy in which the benefits of growth were shared, and there is further scope in this area in the food sector."

Specific action points arising from the meeting included closer cooperation between unions in addressing issues around 'guest labour', mapping union and employer coverage within food industries in Australia and New Zealand, developing sector specific plans (for example fruit and vegetables, confectionery, meat processing), developing and growing rank and file union activists in these plans and identifying non unionised sites.

"Unions also discussed the need to share information about the wages and conditions of workers in both countries," said Carol Beaumont. "Our clear goal in New Zealand is to improve the workers' wages on this side of the Tasman, as there is already a significant wage gap between many New Zealand and Australian food sector workers."

The meeting builds on development work unions are doing already, including through workers' voices being represented at the Food and Beverage sector taskforce in New Zealand, Beaumont said.

Unions from both countries also reaffirmed their commitment to opposing labour laws which undermined the conditions of food sector workers, Carol Beaumont said. In Australia, workers were already seeing the impacts of the Howard government's new WorkChoices legislation, which was driving down wages and conditions, and exposing workers to unfair sacking.

In New Zealand, a Bill before Parliament that seeks to introduce a 90-day probationary employment period would have particular impact on a number of workers in food related industries such as agriculture and fishing, and Carol Beaumont said food unions needed to pay particular attention to this sector.

Delegates to the meeting included the NZ Meat Workers' Union, the NZ Dairy Workers' Union, the Service and Food Workers' Union, the National Distribution Union and the Engineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union, from New Zealand; and the Australian Meat Industry Employees' Union, the Australian Workers' Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union and the National Union of Workers, from Australia.

Events

Unions Local Events

Unions Northland
June 6, 5pm.
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Tauranga
June 12, 5pm
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt
Maunganui
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Hawkes Bay
June 12, 5.30pm
TUC, 2 Lipton Pl, Napier
dhyde@nduunion.org.nz

Unions Otago
June 13, 4.30pm
NZNO, Level 3, 7 Crawford St, Dunedin
glendaa@nzno.org.nz

Unions Auckland
June 15, 4pm.
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd, Auckland
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Wellington
June 19, 5pm.
CTU, Lv 7, Ed House, 178 Willis St.
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Unions Canterbury
June 20, 4pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Waikato
July 6, 5.15pm
TUC, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton
fiona.mcqueen@epmu.org.nz

CTU Meetings, Training

CTU-Government Forum , Auckland
June 7, 4pm
Auckland
karenn@nzctu.org.nz

CTU 90 Days Campaign Committee
June 8, 9am-10.30am
CTU Boardroom, Wellington.
carolb@nzctu.org.nz

ACC Partnership Programme Training,
Stage Two
June 9, 9am-4.30pm
Concord Room, Hotel Grand
Chancellor, Auckland Airport
oksanaz@nzctu.org.nz

Skills of Organising
June 13, 14, 15, 9am-5pm
McKenzie Room, St Johns Church Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
karenn@nzctu.org.nz

Leadership Development For Young Workers
June 20, 9am-4.30pm
Big Hall, St Johns Church Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
karenn@nzctu.org.nz

Training Skills
Part 1: June 20 & 21
Part 2: July 25 & 26
EPMU, 9 Madeira Lane, Grafton, Auckland (For Parts 1 & 2)
1st Day 9.30am - 5.00pm
2nd Day 9.00am - 5.00pm
karenn@nzctu.org.nz

Pay and Employment Equity Training - Reviews and Response Planning
June 22, 9am-4.30pm.
St Johns, Cnr Willis & Dixon, Wgtn.
nanettec@nzctu.org.nz

Other

First Friday Drinks
June 2, 5.30pm onwards
The Brix Bar, Cnr Willis & Dixon
patb@nzctu.org.nz

Joint Union Delegates Meeting re the 90 Day Bill -
June 19th, Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Johnsonville Community Centre
3 Frankmoore Ave, Johnsonville
John Maynard:
links@actrix.gen.nz

Contact

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