The Council of Trade Unions is calling on parents and schools to support not condemn the "Radical Youth" who took their youth rates protest to the streets yesterday."These young workers are exercising fundamental human rights guaranteed by international law" CTU president Ross Wilson said.

"We can't provide in our law for young workers to be paid less than adults and then deny them the right to protest against that discrimination" he said.

"I hope that parents will support this demonstration of democratic rights" Ross Wilson said. "It is a valuable education exercise."

"The CTU fully supports the youth action and leadership, and the UNITE union which is supporting them".

The CTU is running a worker education programme on productivity. [8]

The Council of Trade Unions ended its three day biennial conference in Wellington this afternoon. Delegates voted on a resolution from conference, which is attached.That the NZCTU Conference 2005 resolves that it:

celebrates the success made in consolidating unionism in Aotearoa/New Zealand and pledges to increase the activity and momentum around a strategy to rebuild union density, organising, capacity and power, particularly in the private sector, and on an industry basis;

recognises the importance of developing the role of unions as the representative voice of working people and as a social partner from a position of being a large and well organised independent union movement;

will continue to build an active and inclusive way of working that provides opportunities to be involved locally, in communities of interest, politically and industrially;

resolves to continue our campaign to lift wages to a livable level, noting the 30% wage gap with Australia, and to develop a 'targeted campaign' for low-income workers;

undertakes to further develop worker participation to ensure there is a strong worker voice on workplace issues and industry or departmental strategies;

challenges business to meet with unions on an industry basis where wages and collective bargaining are put on the agenda alongside skill development and productivity;

calls on the Government to promote a sustainable development framework that actively involves unions and workers in economic and social development in a comprehensive rather than ad hoc way;

will increase opportunities for union members to be active on political issues in communities;

will continue our regular engagement with Government at CTU : Government forums;

pledges to work with the Government to protect and build state sector capacity, improve vital social services, demonstrate best-practice in terms of state sector pay, conditions, retirement savings and other employment matters, and the building of co-operative workplaces, participatory decision-making, tripartism, and satisfying and rewarding work;

supports a continuing policy programme by Government to address:

* vulnerable workers
* dependent contractors
* workers employed by temporary work
* agencies and labour hire companies
* portability of entitlements
* the minimum wage
* underfunding and low wages paid in the Aged Care and other sectors
* the issue of low paid workers in the * public sector
* ILO Convention 138
* meal and refreshment breaks
* redundancy law
* equal pay and pay and employment equity
* paid parental leave
* MECA bargaining in the state sector
* responsible contractor policy
* ILO Convention 155
* ongoing funding of health and safety representatives' training
* work:life balance
* higher levels of investment in skill development

will continue to work with parliamentary parties that share our policies and objectives, and to work closely with these parties to achieve such policies and objectives;

will continue with major CTU projects on health and safety training, productivity, learning representatives, and Maori economic development;

supports mechanisms to promote and reflect diversity at all levels so members can see themselves reflected in the union movement;

resolves to continue our international work including active involvement in SPOCTU and support for development projects in the Asia Pacific region;

calls for the implementation of ILO Conference resolutions to impose trade sanctions against the Burmese military r?gime until the cease the use of forced labour;

will continue our work opposing free trade in a global marketplace dominated by multinational enterprises and propose instead fair trade based on sustainable development.

"The CTU is proud to have led a successful union movement campaign in the most important Election in our generation" CTU president Ross Wilson said today.
"Union volunteer activists have been working for months to enrol workers and to inform them of the issues in this vital election." he said.

"There is no doubt that the high worker turnout in city seats, particularly South Auckland, has won the election for the centre-left."

"The CTU looks forward to continuing to work closely with a Clark led Government." Ross Wilson said.

"Our national interest as a small country requires us to continue to work together" he said.

"The National Party exploited prejudice and greed to divide New Zealanders during the campaign" he said "It is a huge relief that we can continue to build a strong and united country around the economic and social development strategies which have produced such excellent results over the past 6 years."

The CTU is challenging Don Brash to debate National's workplace relations agenda.

"Don Brash says he wants to focus on the issues this week, and workers' rights is an issue which should be debated," said CTU president Ross Wilson.

The National Party has declared war on workers and unions with its industrial relations policy, Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.The CTU has taken out radio advertising to encourage workers to get on the electoral roll and be aware of parties' workplace policies. It has also produced a leaflet which outlined getting on the roll, how MMP works, and parties' voting track records on employment legislation.

"National has criticised unions for being politically partisan but part of our job is to represent workers' interests at the political level, and National's industrial relations policy is not in the interests of workers," Ross Wilson said.

The CTU did not try to tell working people how to vote, but had a responsibility to assess work-related policies which affected workers, their families and communities, he said.

"National's policy would take us back to the 1990s and workers know from bitter experience this would mean a return to the divisive and destructive days of the Employment Contracts Act.

"We were left with low wages, child poverty, and skill shortages that still hamper economic and social development today."

Under National policy, workers would expect lower wage increases, reduced job security, the right of appeal axed if they are dismissed, cuts in holiday, sick and bereavement leave, and reduced health and safety protection at work.

"Some voters may be tempted by promises of a small tax cut but they will pay several times over in reduced wages and public services and increased interest rates and prices, if National is elected," Ross Wilson said.

"The CTU will be sounding a serious warning to working people about what they could expect from a National Government," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

In a first for the construction sector, a union and a major employer have agreed on a policy for dealing with drug and alcohol impairment at work, Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

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.