June, 2003

The Council of Trade Unions says that while there's been a good start to paid parental leave, it doesn't pay enough and needs to be expanded to allow more women to take advantage of what is a basic employment right.

Decriminalising prostitution will ensure sex workers are protected by the same laws that guarantee minimum employment rights to the rest of the workforce, the Council of Trade Unions secretary, Carol Beaumont, said today.

The Government must address poor health and safety standards in the trucking industry, which are causing a serious shortage of drivers on both sides of the Tasman, according to a visiting Australian union leader.

Jobs will be lost, customers severely inconvenienced, and the banking sector seriously diminished if the National Bank is sold to Australian interests, Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"It is disappointing that some employer organisations are trying to undermine the health and safety laws which are aiming to improve New Zealand's appalling rate of workplace accidents," the Council of Trade Unions president, Ross Wilson said today.

The passing of the Minimum Wage Amendment Bill will see a better deal for those trainees who are badly underpaid, the Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

New Zealand's ratification of the International Labour Organisation's Convention 98 will strengthen the rights of workers to negotiate collective employment agreements, the Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"The Government's decision to buy back the rail network is a good deal for New Zealanders which secures essential transport infrastructure in public ownership," the Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"The cut in the official cash rate to 5.25% is a step in the right direction," said Council of Trade Unions secretary Paul Goulter today."However, a cut of 0.5% was warranted, because there are a number of adverse economic indicators as well as pressure on the exchange rate."

Paul Goulter said a cut of 0.5% would have helped to prevent any sharp contraction in economic activity ? which could result in job losses.

"We note that a further cut is signalled, but we would have preferred a more significant move today," Paul Goulter said.

The Council of Trade Unions secretary, Paul Goulter, says the official cash rate should be cut to 5% this week."The reasons for a 0.5% cut are that there is now quite a strong combination of adverse factors affecting the economy and this could mean a sharper slowdown than previously anticipated," he said today.

"In addition, such a cut is more likely to stem an appreciation of the New Zealand dollar which would be welcomed by the export sector."

Paul Goulter said a cut of this nature would strengthen business confidence and ensure there was a continued incentive to invest in growth.

"Obviously workers feel the brunt of any slow down and we want to avoid that as much as possible," he said.

"Recent data on housing, retail sales, producer prices, wages and trade point to a weakening economy and a low inflation outlook. Business confidence is also low."

Paul Goulter also expressed concern at the weak global economy, with little sign of any substantive growth in our major trading partners.

"In this situation, the only sensible action for the Reserve Bank is to continue with the approach shown in April when the official cash rate was cut for the first time since November 2001," he said.

"There is still plenty of room for the bank to act as our interest rates are still internationally very high."

"Ted Thompson was undoubtedly one of the most able union leaders of the last half century" CTU president Ross Wilson said today.Ted Thompson, former General Secretary of the Waterside Workers Federation, and Vice President of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, died on May 29 aged 86 years. His funeral is on Tuesday.

"Ted rebuilt the Waterside Workers Federation after the union was all but destroyed by the Government in the historic 1951 Waterfront Dispute" Ross Wilson said.

"A low profile union leader he was an extremely effective negotiator, in both union and business environments" he said

"It was Ted Thompson who led the rebuilding of waterfront workers conditions of employment and permanent employment after the disaster of 1951"

"He pioneered new employment conditions which facilitated the introduction of containerised cargoes and made his union members among the top earning workers in New Zealand"

"The Watersiders' Superannuation Scheme was also an innovative gain which secured a comfortable retirement for a generation of wharfies"

"Ted was a principled unionist and a very fine man, who took an active interest in the union movement right up to the end".