The Unionist, Issue 53, 18 August 2006

Auckland workers will have their chance next week to show opposition to National’s 90 Days No Rights Bill, at a rally in the city on Wednesday, writes The Unionist this week.

Either read on, or download a printable version here (PDF file, 50 kb).

90 Days No Rights Bill Rally in Auckland next week

Auckland workers will have their chance next week to show opposition to National’s 90 Days No Rights Bill, at a rally in the city on Wednesday.

CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said next Wednesday’s rally, organised by the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, is a significant contribution to the union wide campaign against the Bill, and builds on the large turnout for the Wellington rally in July, and campaign activity in several cities and towns in New Zealand by unions over the past five months.

The campaign is working, with many political parties realising the problems with National’s plan to remove workers rights, Beaumont said.

“The Bill passed its first reading in March with a small majority, and many of the parties who initially supported it have raised reservations since.”

“Our position has been clear – this is bad law which nobody needs.  It is an attack on the rights of all workers to a fair go on the job.”

 “This is not a Bill that can be fixed up, and Wednesday’s rally is the next step in the union campaign to have the Bill dumped.”

The rally is in Aotea Square at 12.30pm next Wednesday August 23rd.  Another CTU campaign update will be sent out to unions shortly after, on next steps in the campaign.

Trend to MECAs; Strong Wage Growth – Employment Report

A long term trend towards multi employer collective agreements (MECAs) and strong wage growth over the past year were among the findings of the latest annual report on employment agreement trends.

“Employment Agreements: Bargaining Trends and Employment Law Update” is an annual report and seminar series by Victoria University of Wellington’s Centre for Industrial Relations.  The seminars have been taking place around the country over the last two weeks.

Among the report’s findings was in increase in the numbers of employees covered by a MECA, up from 18 per cent in 2000 to 33 per cent this year.  Wage growth was also strong, including “significant gains for many workers in low-paid industries where wages had fallen behind during the 1990s.”  The report noted the impact of the EPMU’s Metals agreement, settled in May last year, on wages expectations overall.

Employment Agreement Trends also reported a growing incidence of leave provisions more generous than four weeks annual leave, which becomes mandatory from next year.

Collective bargaining remained heavily concentrated in large organisations and the public sector, and CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said increasing the numbers of workers bargaining collectively in unions, in particular in the private sector, remained an important challenge for the union movement.

Events Calendar

Unions Local

Unions Wellington
Mon Aug 21, 5:00 p.m.
CTU, Level 7, Education House, 178 Willis St., Welington
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Unions Manawatu
Fri Aug 25, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St,
Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Unions Northland
Tue Aug 29, 5pm.
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Other Events and Campaigns

Campaign Against the Taser
March against the Police trial of tasers -
Midday 19 August, bottom of Queen St, Auckland CBD
www.campaignagainstthetaser.com

SuperSizeMyPay.Com - Akld
McFight Night – Every Friday Night.  5-6.30pm.
Pt Chev McDonalds, Gt Nth Rd, Auckland (09) 845-2132,
help@unite.org.nz

Youth Rates and the Probationary Employment Bill - Akld Meeting
(see listing under 90 Days column)

90 Days No Rigths Bill Campaign Events

Youth Rates and the Probationary Employment Bill.
Mon, Aug 21, 7.30pm.
St Marks Parish Centre, 334
Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga
Mary Betz from CARITAS will speak on youth rates and proposals to impose a 3 month probationary period on new workers.Catholic Justice and Peace Group in Pakuranga. Email: cr_sullivan@hotmail.com

90 Days No Rights Bill - Rally
Weds August 23, 12:30pm
Aotea Square, Auckland.
www.workrights.org.nz

CTU Meetings, Training

Unions at Work:  Cross Union Delegate Seminar - Invercargill
Tue Aug 22, 9.00am – 4.30pm
Invercargill Workingmen’s Club, 154 Esk Street.
karenn@nzctu.org.nz
   
Leadership Development for Young Workers
Wed 6 and Thur 7 Sept, 9am-4.30.
Big Hall, St Johns Church, Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
karenn@nzctu.org.nz by Aug 28

Unions at Work:  Cross Union Delegate Seminar - Whangarei
Thur Sep 7, 9am-4.30pm
The Barge Showground Event Centre, State Highway 14, Maunu, Whangarei karenn@nzctu.org.nz by Aug 28

Advanced Pacific Workers Fono
Thur 14 Sept, 9.00am – 4.30pm
Meeting Room 1, 2nd Floor, AMI Building, Cnr Osterley Way & Ronwood Avenue, Manukau, Auckland.
karenn@nzctu.org.nz by Sep 4

Young Workers and Unions -
National Youth Activist Camp
Fri 22- Sun 24 Sept, all day.
Kotare Trust, Wellsford
erinp@nzctu.org.nz

Workplace Productivity Challenge: Exploring Workplace Productivity Issues
Wed 27 Sept, 9am-4.30
St Johns Church, Cnr Willis & Dixon Streets, Wellington
sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Sep 15

One-Day Health and Safety Rep Training for Union Officials
Thur Sept 28, 9.00am to 4.30pm
6th floor, PSA House, 11 Aurora Terrace (off The Terrace), Wellington
karenf@nzctu.org.nz

Registration is now open for a two-day training workshop on ‘Embedding Pay and Employment Equity into Collective Bargaining’ run by the CTU.

This training is intended for union organisers, educators, negotiators and senior delegates who would like to explore how pay and employment equity can be integrated into organising and/or bargaining.  The session will follow on from the earlier Pay and Employment Equity training that you attended, but attendance at the earlier workshop is not a pre-requisite for attending this one.

Dates are:
Wellington 26 & 27 September (Tuesday/Wednesday).  Christchurch 10 & 11 October (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Auckland 16 & 17 October (Monday/Tuesday).
Registration for the Wellington training closes on Friday 15th September - contact Nikki Burrows on
nikkib@nzctu.org.nz or (04) 385 1334 xtn 840

Contact

If you have any information about upcoming CTU events please contact:
Sam Huggard - (04) 802 3817, email: samh@nzctu.org.nz