The Unionist, Issue 73, April 16, 2007

The CTU has released its policy statement on climate change, writes the Unionist this week.  Also this week, Auckland is next in line for a 'Hollow Men' election campaign financing forum, and the Human Rights Film Festival is just around the corner.

Either read on, or you can download a printable version here (PDF file, 57 kb)

CTU Lays Out Views On Climate Change 

The Council of Trade Unions last week released its policy statement on climate change, in response to the government’s consultation on long term policy options in this area.

“The CTU submission states clearly that unions accept the overwhelming evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are having a harmful effect on the environment and on workers and their families,” CTU president Ross Wilson said on Wednesday.

“Unions accept that there may be a case for emissions trading but we put more emphasis on a regulatory approach alongside direct action to reduce emissions.”

The CTU statement highlights some particular labour market issues that must be considered in any climate change policy.  The statement recommends the Labour Department monitor the impact of climate change policies on employment and calls for a ‘just transition’ for any workers affected.  Unions also say that workers and unions must be included in any negotiations on emission reduction agreements, Ross Wilson said.

On Friday the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition challenged the CTU to front up with evidence of greenhouse gas harm.

“It may be that these sceptics will advocate doing nothing until it is too late but the CTU is certainly taking a precautionary approach on behalf of working New Zealanders and their families who will inevitably bear the brunt,” Ross Wilson said in response today.

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said on April 6 that observational evidence from all continents and most oceans shows that many natural systems are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases.” 

“In February the panel concluded that it was at least 90% certain that human emissions of greenhouse gases rather than natural variations are warming the planet’s surface.”

“For unions committed to a programme which will reduce poverty, raise living standards, create decent jobs, and provide for fair outcomes, there is now an inescapable need to reconcile the environmental consequences of our production and consumption alongside the efficiency of its generation and the fairness of its distribution,” he said.

Download the statement: http://union.org.nz/policy/Towards-Sustainability-Unions-and-Climate-Change

Hollow Men Forum Coming To Auckland

Following a successful CTU forum on election campaign funding in Wellington in late March, it’s now Auckland’s turn to debate the issues.

“The Hollow Men: Our Democracy or Theirs?”, a forum in Wellington on March 27, saw 250 come along to hear Hollow Men author Nicky Hager, Therese Arseneau and Andrew Geddis and debate election funding issues.

This time Hager will be joined by Dr Raymond Miller, head of Political Studies at the University of Auckland and NDU secretary and former Cabinet Minister Laila Harré.

The event will take place on Tuesday May 1st (May Day), from 7.30pm, in Auckland University’s ‘Lower Lecture Theatre’, behind the University Clocktower building on Princes St, near Old Government House.

Human Rights Film Festival Around The Corner

The annual Human Rights Film Festival is just around the corner, starting in Auckland on the 2nd of May, before moving to Wellington and Christchurch.

2007 is the festival’s third year, and as usual, there will be plenty of films of interest to workers and union members.

The festival brings together a number of human rights films from international film makers and locals, and after positive feedback the festival is continuing with the popular panel discussions, which will take place after each screening.

The films selected reach across the broad spectrum of human rights with “something for everyone” and the festival contains a number of award winning, high quality documentaries and feature films that will not be seen elsewhere in New Zealand.

Programmes are around town in the above cities, and there is a full listing at www.humanrightsfilmfest.net.nz

 AUCKLAND                                             
 ACADEMY THEATRE, MAY 2-9        
                          
 WELLINGTON
 PARAMOUNT THEATRE, MAY 9-16      

 CHRISTCHURCH
 REGENT THEATRE, MAY 16 - 20

CTU Weekly Events Calendar

Unions Local

Unions Tauranga
Mon 16 April, 4pm.
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt Maunganui. 
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Manawatu Planning Day
Monday 16 April
2:30 – 4:30pm
PSA House, 41-47 King St, Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

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

Unions Canterbury
Tues April 17, 4pm
Trade Union Centre, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions West Coast
Monday April 23, 5pm
Greymouth RSA
wkcultur@ihug.co.nz

Unions Gisborne
Thursday April 26, 4pm.
Trades & Labour Hall, Corner Customhouse St. & Childers Rd.
cryan@nduunion.org.nz

Unions Waikato
Thur May 3, 5.15pm
TUC, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton
fiona.mcqueen@epmu.org.nz

Workers Memorial Day/May Day

See next week for a full wrap on events

Other Events and Campaigns

PSA Think & Drink
 with guest speaker DAVID COATS
Friday 27 April, 6 pm start. Trades Hall, 149 Great North Road, Grey Lynn,  Red Flag Social Club facilities will be available from 5.00 pm
For further information contact Tanja Bristow tanja.bristow@psa.org.nz or  Ros Hiini  wwrc@ihug.co.nz

Unions Manawatu & Manawatu Mayday Coalition Film Screening
The Spanish Holocaust.  Montse Armengou and Richard Belis (Spain 2003), for the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Guernica.
A moving piece of historical and contemporary reportage on the true scale of the terror meted out on the Spanish population, both during and after the Civil War.
2pm, Sunday 29 April 2007. Te Manawa, Main Street, Palmerston North
Entry by gold coin donation/koha
Contact John Shennan: (06) 357 9106, email john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Blackball Museum of Working Class History Trust and Unions West Coast.
Invitation to Mayday, May 4-5, 2007.
Once again, we are proud to offer a programme, based in our iconic village, which will be intellectually stimulating and which will charge the activist batteries.
Programme
 Friday 4th: Assemble, Choir- 8.00pm, Blackball Hilton.
Saturday 5th:
10.00am-12noon. Forum: Negotiating the environment. Members of the Save Happy Valley Coalition will debate with representatives from local unions on issues of the environment, jobs, regional economy, processes of decision making and anything else that comes up. There will be opportunity for public debate and discussion. Facilitated by Leigh Cookson.  Blackball Working Men’s Club.
12.00 – 1.00pm. Lunch available at the Hilton.
1.15pm. March through town (bring banners), ending at Community Centre at which plans for 2008 will be announced.
2.30pm – 4.00pm. Launch of video That Fateful Day (video Paul Maunder; producer: Jo Hart, editing: Vanguard Films); oral history accounts of the Strongman Mine Disaster, from relatives, workers and mine rescue personnel, recorded last year at the Runanga Centenary… Runanga Working Men’s Club. Transport to Runanga will be available.
6.30pm Workers’ Dinner at the Hilton, with after dinner speakers on the subject of: Does socialism have anything to offer the present day NZ working class. The emphasis is on specific models of governance/action/ economic relationship. Introduced by Paul Maunder,  NZ Writers Guild.  Speakers: Matt Winter EPMU, Leigh Cookson ARENA.

Accommodation is available at the Hilton or the Club Hotel. Billets can be arranged for those on limited income. For busy people there is a commuter flight (Air West Coast), Wgtn- Greymouth late afternoon on Friday, returning to Wgtn Monday morning- you’re in town by 8.45am. Otherwise you can fly out of Hoki tika on Sunday. Transport available to and fro airports.  We would be grateful if you could give us indication of your likely presence (drop an e-mail) - wkcultur@ihug.co.nz
Paul Maunder, Chairperson
Jane Wells, Secretary

Manawatu May Day Cup
Regent Theatre
7.30PM, Saturday 5 May
Palmerston North
Entry by Gold Coin Donation
dmartin@nduunion.org.nz

Featuring special guest Don Franks (Wgtn), with Alien Nation (Wgtn), Michelle Robinson Dancers (PNth), Spanner in the Works Aka “Not the Day Job” (Wgtn), The Brazen Hussies (PNth), The Real Hot Bitches (Wgtn), Kate and Tessa Martin (Auck), The Congolese Community Dancers (PNth), SLAJ Hammer (Wgtn), NDU Members will introduce a DVD on the Progressive lockout dispute 2006.

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 1, for IDEA Services Monday/Tuesday 21 & 22 April, 9am-4.30pm Morgan & Dick Rooms, St John’s Centre Cnr Willis & Dixon Sts, Wellington marym@nzctu.org.nz

CTU Out@Work Kamp for GLBTI unionists and union supporters
Thurs 19 April 10am to Friday 20 April 4pm. Wainuiomata Outdoor Education Centre, Wellington. http://www.union.org.nz/about/out_work.html
eileenb@nzctu.org.nz

Workplace Productivity Challenge: Exploring Workplace Productivity Issues. 
Please note that the planned workshops at Napier (18 April) and Hamilton (1 May) have been postponed and will be re-scheduled to later dates. There is no charge to attend the Productivity Challenge, and some assistance is available for travel and other associated costs.
Seminars are as follows
Wed 4 April, 9am-4.30pm
AMI Building, 2nd Floor
Cnr Ronwood Ave/Osterley Way, Manukau
EREL deadline March 21, but other late enrolments will be accepted 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

Thurs 3 May, 9am-4.30pm
EPMU training room, 298 Cashell St, Christchurch EREL deadline April 19 sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by Apr 26

Wed 16 May, 9am-4.30pm
Barge Park Showgrounds, State Highway 14, Manu, Whangarei EREL deadline May 2 sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by May 9

Tues 29 May, 9am-4.30pm
Willowhaven, 31 Beaumont Rd, Ngongotaha, Rotorua EREL deadline
May 15 sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by May 8

June: further workshops to be held Palmerston North (5 June), Invercargill (12 June) and Wellington (13 June)
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