May, 2008

The Unionist this week covers the confusion surrounding the National Party's stance on KiwiSaver, the call from the public service union for a reality check on tax cuts and social spending, proposed new work rights covering meal and breastfeeding breaks and climate change.

Increased provisions for meal and refreshment and breastfeeding breaks would continue to improve the rights at work for Kiwi workers, the Council of Trade Unions told a select committee today.

The Council of Trade Unions is calling on industry to be more constructive on climate change issues.

An earlier than usual Unionist this week reports on the government budget, the bank workers' union's call for ANZ National to come clean, more on the meat industry and a guest review of the recent Manawatu May Day Cup.

“Supporting workers to improve their skills in language, literacy and numeracy is critical to building the high wage, high skill economy that everyone wants, and the budget’s significant allocation of $168 million over four years to roll out the Skills Strategy is a big vote of confidence for workplace learning,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

“Workers are feeling the pinch with high food prices, rising petrol costs and high rents and mortgage payments, and tax cuts announced today, targeted at low and middle income earners, will clearly be welcome for many workers,” Council of Trade Unions vice president Richard Wagstaff said today. 

“People doing contract work for less than the minimum wage deserve the full wage protections afforded to other workers," Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said tonight.

The Council of Trade Unions governing body met today and were formally advised of secretary Carol Beaumont’s selection as the Labour candidate for Maungakiekie in Auckland at this year’s election.

A change is as good as a holiday – which is what it could cost you if you are not careful!

The Council of Trade Unions has called for an active approach to finding jobs for meat workers being made redundant, following a further announcement today by PPCS, this time in relation to their Burnside site in Dunedin.