The Unionist, Issue 69, March 9, 2007

A new Council of Trade Unions DVD resource on Pay and Employment Equity was launched in Wellington on International Working Women’s Day, writes the Unionist this week.

Either read on, or download a printable version here (PDF file,  58 kb).

Pay DVD Useful Resource For Women

On The Level – Pay and Employment Equity in New Zealand, a new Council of Trade Unions DVD resource, was launched in Wellington yesterday on International Working Women’s Day.

“The DVD is a fun and informative way of getting up to speed on Pay and Employment Equity issues, and we produced it to promote further discussion and action.  It is just part of the work many unions are doing to bring down the gender pay between men and women,” CTU vice president Helen Kelly said.

“Last year’s figures showing the gender pay gap coming down from 16% to 13% were encouraging, but with the gap hovering at 13%, at current progress we are still many years away from true pay and employment equity for women.”

“The Pay and Employment Equity reviews being rolled out in the pubic service, education and health sectors this year should mean the gap will come down further in coming years.”

People in attendance at Thursday’s launch watched the new DVD and heard some brief remarks from Helen Kelly, CTU Vice President, Hon Ruth Dyson, Minister of Labour and Philippa Hall, Director, Pay and Employment Equity Unit, Department of Labour.

The DVD was produced by the CTU with financial assistance and support from the Pay and Employment Equity Unit at the Department of Labour.  You can watch excerpts of it online, by clicking here.

News in Brief

Learning Reps in South Island
The CTU is running a South Island Learning Reps training course in Christchurch in April for elected learning reps, delegates, health and safety reps and organisers.  It is a basic delegates training course with a focus on how to organise around workplace training, to advocate for training,  to help meet members’ career needs, to understand learning difficulties and solutions and to build enterprise productivity on the basis of skill.  All travel and accommodation and other costs paid by the Learning Reps project. 

The course is not an EREL course so unions need to arrange two days leave from employers, however it is an NZQA approved course, and attendees successfully completing the course and assignments are awarded credits on their record of learning.

For more information see details of the course in The Unionist events page, or you can go to the Learning Reps website:  www.learningreps.org.nz, or contact Mary McTavish on (04) 385 1334 extn 838, or by email  at marym@nzctu.org.nz.

CTU Officer Elections
At the February National Affiliates Council meeting, CTU president Ross Wilson told affiliates he would not be seeking re-election when his current term expires in October. 

Ross advised that he was advising affiliates now so that unions could discuss nominations for the role over the coming months before the formal nominations process later in the year.

Ross Wilson said that this advice was for unions only until nominations had formally been opened and he would not be making any public comment.

CTU Weekly Events Calendar

Unions Local

Unions Canterbury Drinks
Fri March 9th 4.30 pm,
EPMU, 298 Cashel Street, Upstairs.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Tauranga
Mon 12 March, 4pm.
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt Maunganui. 
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Auckland
Thur Mar 15, 4pm
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Canterbury
Tues March 20, 4pm
Trade Union Centre, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Northland
Tue April 10 2007, 5pm. 
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Southland
Tues April 10 2007, 4pm,
Trades Hall, Invercargill
Dayle.Belcher@nzei.org.nz

Unions Wellington
Monday April 16
NZCTU, Wellington
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Other Events/Campaigns

The Working Womens Resource Centre invites you to the SUMMER OPENING OF THE RED FLAG SOCIAL CLUB BAR
to celebrate International Women’s Day
Friday 9 March, 5.30pm, Trade’s Hall 149 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.  Join us for a convivial drink and something to eat. Ros Hiini 09 3797906, wwrc@ihug.co.nz

WEA Wellington
“Closing the Gender Pay Gap”
Nanette Cormack
Mon March 12, 12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Centre for Global Action
2nd Floor James Smiths Bldg.
Manners/Cuba Streets cnr.

PUBLIC LECTURE
The politics of deception -- Nicky Hager talks about The Hollow Men
Mon12 March 2007, 7.30 pm . Elizabeth Kelly Room, Arts Centre Function Centre, corner of Hereford St and Rolleston Ave, Christchurch
Eugenie Sage , rems@paradise.net.nz  or ph 942 1251 (evenings)

The Roger Award Ceremony
Wed March 21, 6pm.
Main Hall, St Johns Church , Cnr Willis & Dixon Sts, Wellington. 
The winner of the 2006 Roger Award for the worst transnational corporation operating in New Zealand will be announced at a ceremony in Wellington.  Finalists are Telecom, Toll, ANZ, British American Tobacco, Progressive Enterprises, Contact Energy and ABB.
Featuring The Shot Band, speakers Laila Harré (for the judges), Murray Horton (CAFCA), Bryan Gould (author of The Democracy Sham), a special excerpt of “The Last Resort” screens and your MC is Michael Gilchrist.  Ticket enters you in the draw for a raffle with books, DVD’s & more.  Tickets $5 waged/$3 unwaged, on the door or by contacting organisers.
Doors & bar opens 5.30pm, awards begin 6pm.  Cash bar (wine) & free nibbles provided.  (This means event is R18 unless with legal guardian sorry.)  For more info: www.cafca.org.nz or call/text Sam or Kane on 021-181-0508 or email kane.oconnell@gmail.com.

The Hollow Men: Our Democracy or Theirs?
Is our democracy “rule by the people” or rule by the corporate funders?  How do we restore integrity and transparency to election campaign funding? What needs to change so ordinary New Zealanders feel they have an equal say in our political system?
The Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi invites you to a public forum to address these and other questions.  Speakers include Nicky Hager, journalist and author of The Hollow Men, Therese Arseneau, Department of Political Science, University of Canterbury and Andrew Geddis, Faculty of Law, University of Otago Law School.  There will plenty of time for questions and comment.
Date & Time: Tuesday March 27 2007, 7pm – 9pm.
Venue:  Rutherford House - Lecture Theatre 1, Pipitea Campus, Victoria University, Ground Floor, Bunny Street, Wellington.  For further information phone (04) 802-3817.

CTU Meetings/Training

Learning Reps Training, Stage 1
Tuesday/Wednesday 17 & 18 April,  9am-4.30pm
Seminar Rooms, EPMU
298 Cashel St, Christchurch
marym@nzctu.org.nz

Learning Reps Training, Stage 2
Thursday 29 March, 9am-4.30pm
Morgan & Dick Rooms, St John’s Centre
Corner Willis and Dixon Streets, Wellington marym@nzctu.org.nz

CTU Migration Work Group
Fri 19 March 2007, 1pm - 4.00pm
NZCTU 7th Floor, Education House
Willis Street, Wellington
andrewc@nzctu.org.nz

CTU Surface Transport Sector Group
Tue 27 March 2007, 9.30am - 12.30pm
NZCTU 7th Floor, Education House
Willis Street, Wellington
andrewc@nzctu.org.nz

CTU Employment Law Workgroup
Wed 11 April, 10am to 1pm.
CTU Boardroom, Wellington.
rossw@nzctu.org.nz

CTU KiwiSaver Workshop
Weds 28th March, 9.30 am - 3 pm
RSA, Level 2, Westbrook House, 181 Willis Street, Wellington.
peterc@nzctu.org.nz

Workplace Productivity Challenge: Exploring Workplace Productivity Issues. 
There is no charge to attend, and some assistance is available for travel and other associated costs. Seminars are as follows

Thurs 22 March, 9am-4.30
EPMU, 298 Cashell Street, Christchurch.
EREL deadline 8 March
sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Mar 15

Thurs 29 March, 9am-4.30
Taranaki HSE Centre, 19 Constance St, Waiwakaiho, New Plymouth EREL deadline 15 March sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Mar 22

Tues 3 April, 9am-4.30pm
Players’ Lounge, Fuji Film Netball Complex, 44 Northcote Road, Takapuna EREL deadline March 20 sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Mar 27

Wed 4 April, 9am-4.30pm
AMI Building, 2nd Floor
Cnr Ronwood Ave/Osterley Way, Manukau
EREL deadline March 21
sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by March 28

Tues 17 April, 9am-4.30
Edgar Sports Centre
Cnr Portsmouth Drive and Midland Street, Dunedin EREL deadline April 3 sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Apr 10

Wed 18 April, 9am-4.30pm
Trade Union Centre, 2 Lipton Place, Onekawa, Napier EREL deadline 4 April sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Apr 11

May and June further workshops to be held in Hamilton, Christchurch, Whangarei, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Invercargill and Wellington More details at: http://union.org.nz/workplaceproductivity.html

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