CTU Runanga Hui - 29 & 30 March 2003
Highlights of a report on the CTU Te Runanga o Nga Kaimahi Maori o Aotearoa Biennial Hui by Te Makao Bowkett, co-convenor, CTU Runanga.
Organising Maori Workers, Internationally, Nationally, Locally
Unions represented at the Hui were:
- AUS
- PPTA
- UNITE
- RMTU
- NZNO
- CBU
- NDU
- PSA
- ASTE
- SFWU
- DAIRY WORKERS UNION
- NZEI
Delegates and key note speakers considered a number of issues, including:
- GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services)
- Workplace Health and Safety
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Ngawha
- CTU Biennial conference
- The War in Iraq
- Maori Economic Development
- Supreme Court Bill
- Supporting Our Tamariki
GATS
Moana Jackson and Jane Kelsey addressed the Hui on the background and implication of GATS, particularly for M?ori.
Moana Jackson warned delegates of the potential impact GATS on M?ori. He explained GATS is about our rights to control services in our own land, such as electricity, water, education, health, media, telecommunications, airlines, transport.
Moana explained the background to GATS from the 1980s 'free market' political agenda to the current GATS negotiations.
In particular he explained concerns around Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The current GATS commitments make no references to Te Tiriti. There are no guarantees that Treaty commitments will be protected or not overridden by the Government's GATS commitments.
Moana Jackson raised the following issues:
- The GATS was negotiated in secret.
- There was no serious effort to dialogue with Maori.
- A national hui of Maori business people is not a meaningful hui.
- Maori in business must dialogue with other tangata whenua overseas to ensure that we do not breach their fundamental rights in their countries.
- We must not be complacent when it comes to Maori concerns.
Health and Safety
CTU president Ross Wilson spoke about creating safe and healthy workplaces as a basic part of the relationship between workers and employers.
M?ori workers are over-represented in workplace accident figures.
The Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act 2002, promotes strong relationships and cooperation to make the workplace safe. The Act strengthens the previous law, through a number of changes, most importantly by ensuring the right for workers and unions to be involved in health and safety systems in the workplace.
Union surveys indicate that health and safety provisions are considered by workers to be of similar importance alongside wages and pay.
International research shows that everyone benefits when workers and unions help to develop health and safety systems in the workplace. When the systems are part of the daily life of the workplace the accident rates are actually decreased.
Workers have an opportunity to elect health and safety representatives and as part of a union-wide movement the target is to elect and train 10,000 health and safety representatives. It is important to ensure that workers get actively involved in this process.
Health and safety reps are entitled to training to assist them in their role. The CTU is coordinating a major campaign to ensure that thousands of health and safety reps are trained this year. This project is a huge challenge for the union movement. This will also provide leadership training and opportunities and therefore more M?ori workers must get involved.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
This session was facilitated by the SFWU whanau.
"Kei roto i a koe to ake mana" - Within each of us lies a seed of potential.
In small groups we considered whakatauka and whakatauaka and placed them within the context of the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ara, Article 1 Kawanatanga, Article 2 Tino Rangatiratanga, Article 3 Rite Tahi.
Ngawha presentation
A delegation from Ngawha shared their issues with the hui. They explained:
- There are key whanau carrying this kaupapa.
- There are serious concerns for the safety of our communities.
- There are measurable signs of pollution and seepage of sewage.
- Traditional food supplies have been damaged.
- Seek further information on-line at:
http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/ngawha.htm
The hui passed a Resolution supporting the kaupapa and the people at Ngawha.
CTU Biennial Conference and Conference Remits
The Runanga continue to ensure that we operate within the CTU and model sound Treaty based relationships.
The Runanga have rostered people to attend the National Affiliates Council hui.
Runanga delegates ensure that Tikanga Maori is adhered to in the appropriate way.
Runanga members have been in contact with the National affiliates and have urged them to support M?ori workers to attend Runanga hui.
There are now three Kaiwhakahaere to support the Runanga and share the workload which had previously been carried by Jo Scott. Her contributions are acknowledged and appreciated.
Whatever decisions are made they should be inclusive of all the Runanga members hence we need more numbers attending the hui.
Heoi ana, over the next few months people are encouraged to develop the remits for presenting at this year's CTU Biennial Conference
The war in Iraq
Richard Kake spoke on this take. The hui agreed on a recommendation opposing the war.
Maori Economic Development
There is particular interest in building the capacity for Maori workers to be involved in Maori Economic Development. Ther hui agreed that Runanga will support greater involvement around the issue of Maori economic development and noted that the CTU is developing a project proposal.
Supreme Court Bill
The Runanga support the Bill but need assurances that there is provision and access for Maori lawyers and judges to gain the necessary skills and experiences that will ensure their placement on the benches of any future Supreme Court.
Supporting Our Tamariki
After discussion the hui agreed on the need for a resolution to send to Government to set up a strategy to
reduce child poverty and support our Whaea working with our young people.
Kia ora mai tatou
Naku iti nei, na
Te Makao Bowkett
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