[1]In recent years union members in New Zealand and internationally are increasingly saying that the important issues for them are not just higher wages, but all the other things that make a quality of life. The union campaign for a quality of life both inside and outside work is called Get A Life!
What's New?
[2]
Get a Life! Campaign Resources
[13]
Archived Campaign News
Four Weeks Holiday a Huge Boost for Working Families
"Four weeks holiday will be a huge boost for working families and the Council of Trade Unions is very proud of the union role in achieving it," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.
The CTU acknowledged that it was not part of the Labour Party manifesto in 1999 or 2002 to introduce four weeks annual leave, he said. "It is a great achievement for unions to have secured a commitment to legislate in advance for the next term of Government, and we acknowledge the leadership which Progressive Party MP Matt Robson has shown in the campaign for four weeks leave." There was no doubt that four weeks annual leave would not only be good for families but would contribute to improved productivity as well, Ross Wilson said. "This investment in people is entirely consistent with the Labour-Progressive Governments economic and social development approach." It was disappointing that National and other parties of the centre-right seemed unable to see the benefit to families and communities that increased annual leave would bring, he said. "Working people wont miss the irony that the employers and political leaders who oppose four weeks annual leave for all workers already get at least four weeks themselves. "The successful union campaign on this issue is a clear example of the role that the union movement plays on behalf of all working people."
Playing soccer is good for democracy says Human Rights Commissioner
Finsec media release to launch the unions Get A Life! campaign.
Where peoples work/life balance enables them to join their local sports and social groups there is the basis for a productive and healthy democracy, Rosslyn Noonan, Chief Human Rights Commissioner said at the launch of Finsecs work/life balance campaign in Wellington today. Ms Noonan said that Robert Putnams research into northern and southern Italy links poverty, corruption and violence to low levels of community participation. It also finds that where people belong to local clubs and social groups economic and social development is strong. Recent research into eight cities in India backs this up, she said. Finsecs President Robyn Woller said that because of changes in the finance industry, which eroded employees work/life balance, it was no longer possible for many of them to play a role in the community. As well as commenting on the social and economic importance of work/life balance, both Rosslyn Noonan and CTU President Ross Wilson pointed to the low levels of economic productivity in the 1990s when work/life balance was eroded by the Employment Contracts Act. "Labour productivity was surprisingly low during the last decade," said Ross Wilson. "It was about a quarter of Australias, where there was no similar legislation. "It took fifteen years to take workers back to the 19th Century," he said. "It will take us quite some time to complete the process of getting back to the 21st Century." The Hon Ruth Dyson, MP who attended the launch commented afterwards on the importance of womens participation in the workforce. "We have worked hard in this country for womens participation, particularly in the paid labour market," she said, "and there have been great improvements in that area. What we havent done yet is get the right balance between paid and unpaid work." Ends
The CTU says the settlement of an employment discrimination case involving a worker who was unable to work on Saturdays because of his religious beliefs, demonstrates that employers need to recognise that workers have lives outside their workplaces.
"In this case it was the workers religious beliefs that should have been recognised by his employer but many other workers have family or community commitments that are as important to them and a responsible employer needs to take these into account," says CTU President Ross Wilson. "Employers must acknowledge that workers have a life beyond their job and that a healthy balance must be struck between work demands and a workers home life." The CTUs "Get a Life" Campaign aims to promote a healthy balance between work and life through changes to legislation and the negotiation of collective agreements. "This case highlights the need for an employment law that actively promotes the negotiation of collective agreements." "It is through collective agreements that processes can be established that enable workers and their unions to sit down with an employer and find a solution that accommodates the needs of all parties when conflicts like these arise," says Ross Wilson.
A report that a growing number of companies have increased overtime levels has significant implications for employees trying to find a balance between work and life, Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said today.
A survey by recruitment company Hays has found that 52 per cent of New Zealand companies have increased overtime levels in the last 12 months. "These figures signal that a significant number of New Zealanders are working longer hours," Carol Beaumont said. "Union members have identified hours of work as being a major barrier to work-life balance." Many low-paid employees work as much overtime as they can to help make ends meet, she said. "The increase in overtime is also a reflection of the labour and skills shortages that is affecting so many parts of the workplace." Work-life balance depended on fundamental aspects of decent work being in place - which included decent pay and reasonable working hours, Carol Beaumont said. "Unions continue to bargain for improvements in collective employment agreements that increase work-life balance, and lobby the Government for law changes that will support workers having a better balance between work and
NZ Herald story on CTU Thirty Families Report , July 2002
Overwork Damaging Families, Say Unions. [17]
Article for the New Zealand Herald by NZCTU vice-presdient Darien Fenton.
Article published 24 April, 2003.
Union members are starting to get active around a major CTU campaign about workers, their families and their communities. It's about the impact of work on the rest of our lives. The campaign is called Get A Life!
In recent years union members in New Zealand and internationally are increasingly saying that the important issues for them are not just higher wages, but all the other things that make a quality of life.
The Get A Life! campaign is about a quality of working life at work and after work. The Get a Life! campaign is about restoring some work/life balance.
Its about achieiving changes in laws and in collective agreements to allow workers to Get A Life!
Unions around the world are campaigning for better laws and better collective agreements which will enable workers to not only do their jobs, but also to fulfill their roles as parents, children, caregivers, partners, members of the community and so on. They are saying they want to Get A Life!
The first part of a CTU research project in the Get A Life! campaign deals with the impact of excessive work hours.
The Interim Thirty Families report was released on July 22, 2002.
Read the Key Findings and full report: Key Findings Report [15]
The Department of Labour is giving workers the chance to discuss issues that are important for achieving balance between work and the rest of our lives.
Discussion packs and response forms for individuals and organisations are now also available on-line at http://www.dol.govt.nz/worklife/discussionpack.asp
Once youve had a look at the materials in the discussion pack, you can also respond online at http://www.dol.govt.nz/worklife/choose-responseform.asp
For more information, or to request a hard copy of the discussion packs and response forms, contact the Work-Life Balance Project at worklife@dol.govt.nz [19]
or:
Work-Life Balance Project Team
Labour Market Policy Group, Department of Labour
P O Box 3705, Wellington
All materials in the discussion packs can be photocopied and circulated. CTU members are invited to tell others who might be interested about the project, and to circulate information and the project website address to those who might wish to contribute.
The Government's announcement today that it will establish a work programme to develop family friendly policies that promote a healthy work-life balance is in line with the CTU's Get A Life! Campaign.
"Establishing a healthy balance between work and home life is a priority issue for the CTU and we look forward to working with the Government on the development of this programme, says CTU Secretary, Carol Beaumont. Last year the CTU released Thirty Families, a report that documented the stories of workers and their families and how work impacted on their lives. Their common complaint was that their work dominated their life to an unhealthy degree. Many worked an average of 45 to 55 hours a week, some longer. Almost all of those who regularly worked more than 45 hours per week regarded these hours as long and unreasonable as they had a negative impact on their health and their ability to interact with their families and friends. The research project is part of the CTUs Get A Life! campaign, which aims to promote a healthy work-life balance through changes to legislation and through the negotiation of collective agreements. "There is compelling evidence for better laws and better collective agreements which will enable workers to not only do their jobs, but also fulfill their roles as parents, caregivers, partners and members of the community," says CTU Secretary, Carol Beaumont. "Co-ordinating the work that is being done in this area to develop an integrated work programme is a positive move. A programme that recognises and values workers family and community responsibilities is long overdue." Says Carol Beaumont.
The union movement was leading the way in the struggle for work-life balance in New Zealand and internationally, Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said today.
The CTU launches its publication, "Its About Time! - A Union Guide to Work-Life Balance" this evening. Associate Minister of Labour Ruth Dyson will launch the book and work-life balance expert Jo Morris, from the UK Trades Union Congress, will also speak at the event. "Its About Time!" defined the issue and the roles of unions, the Government and employers in removing the barriers that stopped workers achieving balance between work and the rest of their lives, Carol Beaumont said. The book also identified practical, work-life balance working arrangements and processes for change in workplaces which not only helped workers achieve better balance, but also assisted employers in attracting and retaining staff. "The union movement has been a strong voice here and internationally in promoting work-life balance," she said. "Our perspective is that collectively we must make changes that allow workers at all levels to balance their various needs and responsibilities." Its About Time! Union Guide to Work-Life Balance [13]
In a landmark decision the Australian Industrial Relations Commission has ruled that workers can refuse excessive overtime.
View the ACTU report of the Reasonable Hours ruling:- http://www.actu.asn.au/public/news/1027385434_14407.html View the Workers Online story on:- http://workers.labor.net.au/146/b_tradeunion_life.html
This paper investigates the impact of economic and social reforms on the well-being of children.
The paper, by Alison Blaiklock, Cindy Kiro, Michael Belgrave, Will Low, Eileen Davenport and Ian Hassall, describes the efffect of the economic and social reform of the past 15 years on children.
These reforms were among the most sweeping in scope and scale in any industrialised democracy. The reforms have not led to an overall improvement in the well-being of children.
There has been widening inequality between ethnic and income groups which has left many Maori and Pacific children, and children from one parent and poorer families, relatively worse off.
The New Zealand experience illustrates the vulnerability of children during periods of social upheaval and change and the importance of having effective mechanisms to monitor, protect and promote the interests of children."
The full report is available on-line: http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/iwp93.pdf
A hardcopy of the full report or the child-friendly version is available from UNICEF NZ, PO Box 10-978, Wellington; email 2helpkids@unicef.org.nz or tel (04) 473 0879.
Working people are looking to the Government to lead the way to work-life balance, both as an employer and a policy-maker, Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said today.
As part of its Work-Life Balance Project, the Government has released a report, Achieving Balanced Lives and Employment. The CTU is a partner in the project. The report recognised that work-life balance depended on the fundamentals of decent work being in place - something unions have been fighting for, Carol Beaumont said. "Decent work is secure work, with reasonable working hours, good leave provisions, decent pay, supportive workplace cultures and access to quality, affordable child care." Focus groups with union members identified areas where further regulations would improve opportunities for work-life balance, particularly for low income workers and those in casual and precarious employment. These included regulating reasonable working hours, better leave provisions, breast-feeding breaks and continuing to increase the minimum wage. "Unions continue to bargain for improvements in collective employment agreements that increase work-life balance," Carol Beaumont said. "The fundamental aspects of decent work are common to all New Zealanders regardless of their income and unions are taking their role in making this a priority issue."
Launch of Interim Thirty Families Report
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is backing today's launch of a website which gives global support to the campaign for work-life balance.
UK-based Hazards magazine is launching the website, www.hazards.org/workedtodeath, which draws attention to the global epidemic of deaths caused by overwork. "The reports on this site show the dire consequences of overwork including, in extreme cases, death," CTU President Ross Wilson said today. "All over the world, the challenge is to balance secure work, with time for family and a healthy lifestyle." Stress caused by overwork is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke and suicide. It is also identified as an issue in Healthy Work, a recent OSH publication which focuses on managing stress and fatigue in the workplace. Recognising the problem of overwork, the CTU is running a campaign for work-life balance called Get a Life! CTU research in 2002 revealed the consequences of overwork for ordinary New Zealanders. The Thirty Families project was based on a series of interviews with working families, and the interim report detailed the effects of long working hours. The report found that long hours were having a serious impact on workers ability to balance work with relationships, family life, and participation in the community. It said that incredible stress was being placed on workers and their families by long hours and heavy workloads.
A study into New Zealanders' attitudes to work-life balance has found that most people relate to the issue but for many people it takes a crisis to spur them into doing something about it.
The UMR research, commissioned as part of the Department of Labour's Work-Life Balance Project, included a range of people including the self-employed, employers and workers in small, medium and large enterprises, Maori and Pacific Island workers, and a group of home-based rural mothers. Most people who took part felt that their lives were out of balance, and that while some good initiatives are already operating in many workplaces there was more that could be done. The report found employers and employees both felt their lives were out of balance and that it was largely the responsibility of the individual to do something about it. The key role of the employer was seen to be in providing a good working environment. Government was seen to have a role too, with a focus on education and promoting good practice. The reasons work and life became out of balance differed depending on whether people felt they had choice over their situations those on higher incomes saw it more as a trade-off while those on lower incomes tended to feel trapped into earning enough money to make ends meet. All employees identified workplace initiatives or approaches to work that could make a difference to balance in their lives. Many of these were simple, low cost ideas such as better workload monitoring, good communication and being clearer about company goals. Employers viewed the key benefits of implementing work-life balance initiatives as being able to attract and retain quality staff. Other perceived benefits were high productivity, happier workplaces, more motivated staff and a closer relationship between staff and management. Barriers to implementing work-life balance initiatives were the perceived cost, the time and resources to manage the initiatives and a lack of expertise and knowledge - both in terms of the best initiatives to implement and how to actually set up particular initiatives. The Project is about identifying effective and practical solutions already in place that could be useful to others, and identifying barriers to achieving greater work-life balance. A public consultation period runs through February and March 2004, with policy development in May 2004. Further details of the project and what is planned are available on the Work-Life Balance website www.worklife.govt.nz [21]. The web site has information and resources on work life balance issues and enables individuals to register to be part of the project.
Campaign to achieve four weeks leave for all workers
The facts on four weeks leave. History, international comparisons and the economic implications.
>
Links:
[1] http://union.org.nz/campaigns/getalife.html
[2] http://union.org.nz/flexible-work-leaflet-July-08
[3] http://union.org.nz/news/2008/flexible-work-needed-to-balance-work-and-life-demands
[4] http://union.org.nz/news/2007/time-is-right-for-flexible-working-hours
[5] http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/d/5/c/00DBHOH_BILL6638_1-Employment-Relations-Flexible-Working-Arrangements.htm
[6] http://union.org.nz/news/2007/carol-beaumont-opinion-piece-on-flexible-working-hours-legislation
[7] http://union.org.nz/news/840.html
[8] http://union.org.nz/news/741.html
[9] http://flexihoursnow.wordpress.com/
[10] http://union.org.nz/news/678.html
[11] http://union.org.nz/taxonomy/term/36
[12] http://union.org.nz/taxonomy/term/139
[13] http://union.org.nz/policy/109996693920232.html
[14] http://union.org.nz/policy/1076291086811.html
[15] http://union.org.nz/policy/1027290655_21731.html
[16] http://union.org.nz/resources/life_links.html
[17] http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=2098884&thesection=news&thesubsection=general
[18] http://union.org.nz/policy/1051487776_18503.html
[19] mailto: worklife@dol.govt.nz
[20] http://union.org.nz/news/24.html
[21] http://www.worklife.govt.nz