"People doing contract work for less than the minimum wage deserve the full minimum wage protections afforded to ordinary workers," CTU president Ross Wilson said.

"If the Mapp Bill is passed the continued employment of up to 300,000 working New Zealanders will be dependant upon the unchallengeable decision, the prejudices, and the whims of their employer" CTU president Ross Wilson told the Select Committee on the Mapp Bill today.

"Current policies have reduced Maori unemployment from 19.3% to 8.7% today and Maori workers want to see more investment in education and skills training not false carrots like the Mapp Bill which will merely strip vulnerable workers of their legal protections and rights” Sharon Clair, CTU Vice President Maori told a Parliamentary select committee today on behalf of the CTU Te Runanga O Nga Kaimahi Maori o Aotearoa [10].

Council of Trade Unions Maori Vice President Sharon Clair says that New Zealand should be proud of its founding document, and moves to remove references to it in legislation are wrong.

Parliament this evening passed the first reading of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill [12], a members’ bill from NZ First’s Doug Woolerton.

The Council of Trade Unions says that tax credits for investment in research and development, skills, and market development as well as higher rates of depreciation would be more helpful in increasing productivity than simply reducing headline company tax rates.

The Council of Trade Unions says that new work life balance research released today confirms what we already know - that New Zealand has a 'long hours' culture.

Workers braved the cold in Wellington yesterday to protest National’s Get-the-sack-in-90-days employment Bill, writes the Unionist this week.

"While the rich navel gaze today over who has overtaken one another in the latest Rich List unions will continue the campaign to end poverty wages in this country," said CTU president Ross Wilson.

The Council of Trade Unions president today accused National Party Industrial Relations’ spokesperson of misrepresentation in claiming that his Bill would introduce probationary employment.

Workers will not be deterred from protesting tomorrow by Wayne Mapp’s weak assurances that his Bill will help them find work, the Council of Trade Unions said today.

There are protest actions in Auckland, Hamilton, Nelson and Dunedin tomorrow in support of the rally at Parliament, and in Christchurch on Saturday.

"Most collective agreements were settled last year without the need for industrial action," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

"The impact of petrol prices is affecting the weekly budgets of the many low income workers in this country," CTU President Ross Wilson said, after the latest CPI figures [28] out this morning.

Unions are increasingly grappling with migration issues, and earlier this year the CTU migration workgroup was convened to work on union perspectives in this area, writes the Unionist this week.  Either read on, or you can download a printable version here (PDF file, 60 KB). [30]

"Pay rates in New Zealand are still not responding to the labour and skills shortages, and employers need to recognise that boosting wages and improving working conditions are critical if they want to retain staff," CTU President Ross Wilson said today.

The select committee considering Sue Bradford’s members Bill to scrap youth rates for 16 and 17 year olds has begun hearing evidence, writes this week's Unionist.

The Council of Trade Unions says that investing in people is the best way to improve labour market outcomes.

Shoppers at Otara and Avondale markets can expect something extra with their veges this weekend, as workers continue the campaign in Auckland against National’s No Rights employment Bill.