Skills, Quality Jobs for Food Workers A Priority says CTU

“Ensuring the success of the food and beverage sector, including through greater skills development, quality work and security of employment, is hugely important for all New Zealanders,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said today, following the government’s response to the Food and Beverage Taskforce final report.

“Unions will be continuing the momentum of the Food and Beverage Taskforce with involvement in the Skills and Training Action Group and through a project to increase worker participation in the Skills Action Plan,” Carol Beaumont said.

“The Centre of Workforce Excellence, to be hosted by the CTU, aims to ensure worker engagement and commitment to the delivery of the development agenda for the food and beverage sector.”

“The CTU supports initiatives which can increase value-added exports and the extra assistance for food and beverage exporters announced today is also welcome.”

The CTU is committed to industry processes to drive innovation and productivity to deliver a higher wage, higher skill, high value economy, and the benefits of higher productivity must be shared with workers, Beaumont said.

“It is very welcome to hear the Minister say today that an important goal of economic transformation in these industries is delivering us higher wages and a better standard of living.”

CTU Secretary Carol Beaumont and NZ Dairy Workers Union National Secretary James Ritchie were union representatives on the Taskforce, set up by government in 2004, and unions have been involved in the consultation on the Taskforce’s work programme, in particular the Food and Beverage Skills Action Plan which the Taskforce developed.