Training for unions in integrating pay and employment equity into their bargaining and negotiations got underway in Wellington this week, writes the Unionist today.  We also report on another workshop series on productivity, as well as the weekly listing of CTU events and training and other events about the place, including special information about the Parihaka 2007 festival, which is moving to early January.

Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson today called on Business New Zealand to remember the human face of regulation and legislative protections, as they release their annual moan about compliance facing businesses.

Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson told delegates at the PPTA conference in Wellington this afternoon that they had the CTU’s full support in their stand for safety in the classroom.

"It is immoral that the directors of James Hardie can award themselves $1.1 million (AUD) in pay rises, while asbestos sufferers die without compensation for their pain and suffering," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

"The attack by business organisations [12] on our personal grievance processes in employment law highlights serious weaknesses in basic management skills in New Zealand business," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

Locked out distribution workers won pay parity by standing strong in their unions and refusing to be bullied by the aggressive tactics of their employer, writes the Unionist this week.  We also report on the Youth Union Movement camp and new Pay and Employment Equity resources on the CTU website, as well as a look ahead at CTU meetings, training and other campaign events in the

CTU president Ross Wilson today thanked the many thousands of New Zealanders who supported the workers locked out by Progressive Enterprises over the past four weeks.

"Progressive Enterprises seriously underestimated the huge level of community support for the workers it locked out nearly a month ago, and today’s settlement achieving pay parity is a victory for ordinary working people over this large overseas employer," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

"Women continue to earn 14 per cent less on average than men. The pay gap persists because of problems such as occupational segregation, undervaluing of work primarily done by women and discrimination," said Carol Beaumont, CTU secretary, on Suffrage Day today.

International Unions representing 30 million workers in the Asia-Pacific region have condemned Progressive Enterprises’ handling of locked out distribution workers.

NZCTU president Ross Wilson is in Singapore this week and moved the resolution at the regional meeting of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions – Asian and Pacific Regional Organisation. 

Unions and the public are rallying behind locked out distribution workers, writes the Unionist this week. 

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“The public support this week for locked out distribution workers has been humbling and overwhelming,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

“In the last 48 hours two $5,000 donations and a $10,000 donation have come in from New Zealand and Australia.  United States unions are also organising their support for the workers.”

Moves to establish an industry wide response to the shipping industry have been welcomed by unions today.

"There must be some community days when shop employees can join other workers for a holiday," CTU secretary Carol Beaumont told a select committee considering Easter trading this morning.

The dispute between 600 distribution workers in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch and Progressive Enterprises highlights the inequality of power which organisations like the Business Roundtable deny exists in the employment relationship.

These members of the National Distribution Union and the Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union have been locked out for more than two weeks by the largest private employer in Australia and New Zealand, Woolworths Australia, because of quite modest collective bargaining claims, including parity of remuneration in Auckland and Christchurch with their fellow Palmerston North workers for doing the same job.

The Unionist this week reports on the special national affiliates meeting of the Council of Trade Unions in Wellington this afternoon. The full 'Unionist' will return with a regular issue on Monday, as well as the usual list of CTU meetings, seminars and events.

At a special affiliates meeting of the Council of Trade Unions a short time ago, the following resolution was passed.

"Amendments to employment law passed this afternoon will bring a fair deal to vulnerable workers, and give effect to Parliament's original policy intent when it first addressed their protection during a restructuring in 2004," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

CTU Affiliated Unions will hold a special meeting in Wellington this Friday to discuss further financial support to workers that have been locked out by Progressive Enterprises.

All of the CTU’s affiliated membership will be represented at the meeting, CTU president Ross Wilson said tonight.