The Unionist, Issue 79, June 1 2007

Collective bargaining provides the best opportunity and framework for addressing working conditions and low wages in the aged care sector, writes the Unionist this week.  We also report on unions supporting the family of Folole Muliaga, and CTU officer elections.

Either read on, or you can download a printable version here (PDF file, 46 kb).
 
Collective Processes Best Option for Aged Care Say Unions This Week

“Collective bargaining provides the best opportunity and framework for addressing working conditions and chronic low wages in the aged care sector,” Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said this week.

Budget 2007 announcements for residential care included an increase targeted directly at improving wages in the sector, and DHB contracts will require providers to have collective agreements in place as an option for workers, a move which business lobbyists and some political parties opposed this week.

“It’s very disappointing to see some political parties complaining about this funding mechanism, when this is the most significant move we have seen to date to address the crisis in aged care,” Carol Beaumont said.

“Nobody disagrees that we need to see urgent change in the appalling wage rates, high turnover, substandard training and lack of quality care schemes in aged care.”

“To date this hasn’t happened, and the Budget announcement is an excellent opportunity to address the problems in this sector in a meaningful and sustained way,” she said.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation said that Government’s linking of funding for the aged care workforce with collective bargaining was the only way to genuinely solve the low pay crisis across the sector.

“Over the past four years, Government has injected significant extra funding into the sector and it has not addressed the abysmal pay levels of the workforce, because it has not been passed on from providers to their employees,” NZNO’s Cee Payne-Harker said.

“Employers are simply being asked to be party to a collective agreement. This will give employees in aged care workplaces the choice about having their pay and conditions negotiated through a collective agreement. Currently many employees in the sector can only have an individual agreement.,” she said.

“This model has already been working in another historically low paid sector – early childhood – and now our expectation is that it will deliver the wage movement we need to ensure quality care for our older people.”

“This is urgently needed in an industry where we have traditionally had very high turnover, and all the associated problems of lack of training and experience, leading to problems in maintaining standards of care. “

Hospital Workers Lift Strike Action for Weekend
Meanwhile Service and Food Workers’ Union hospital workers have lifted strike action for the long weekend but are not confident of a settlement at this time, and they expect the action to start midnight Monday, their advocate says.

“We want to  thank all unions who have been in touch with our union and delegates on site.  It is really important to keep up that moral support to workers, many of whom work for outside contractors,” SFWU’s Alastair Duncan told the Unionist.

“The union strategy is to contest the lock out actions by presenting for work on each and every shift.”

People who needed more info about this dispute could call 0800 Fight On, he said.

CTU Opens Officer Elections
The Council of Trade Unions has opened nominations for the four elected positions within the organisation, President, Vice President, Vice President Maori and Secretary-Treasurer.

The four-year terms all expire at the CTU biennial conference later this year.

Nominations were opened at CTU’s National Affiliates Council meeting last Thursday, and will close on Friday July 6.   Current CTU president Ross Wilson said last week that he would not be seeking re-election.

The CTU’s biennial conference is on 15-17 October 2007, and the CTU Runanga and the four other representatives structures Komiti Pasefika, Youth Union Movement and Out at Work and the Women’s Council are all having, or have already had, their biennial conferences this year also.

Unions rally in support of Muliaga family; demand accountability
Unionists have this week been supporting the family of Folole Muliaga, who died on Tuesday after her home’s electricity supply was cut off by Mercury Energy, affecting the oxygen machine she relied on.

Last night unionists and members of the public rallied outside Mercury Energy’s offices in Auckland, and a rally is due to get underway in Wellington shortly. 

Yesterday the Service and Food Workers Union said contracting out of services engendered a callous indifference to the real needs of people.  Some of Mrs Muliaga’s family were members of the union, struggling to survive on low wages as cleaners, caterers, caregivers, security guards, Northern Secretary Jill Ovens said.

CTU Weekly Events Calendar

Unions Local

Unions Tauranga
Mon 11 June, 4pm.
Seafarers Centre, Hull Rd, Mt Maunganui. 
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Southland
Tues June 12 2007, 4pm,
Trades Hall, 32 Jed St, Invercargill
Dayle.Belcher@nzei.org.nz

Unions Auckland
Thur 14 June, 4pm
Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd.
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Gisborne
Thur June 14, 4.30pm.
Trades & Labour Hall, Corner Customhouse St. & Childers Rd.
cryan@nduunion.org.nz

Unions Wellington
Mon June 18, 5pm
NZCTU, Level 7, 178 Willis St.
pbolster@anet.co.nz

Unions Canterbury
Tues June 19, 3pm
(Planning Meeting - note earlier time)
TUC, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch.
Karena.Brown@epmu.org.nz

Unions Northland
Tue 26 June 2007, 5pm
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
gparsloe@seafarers.org.nz

Unions Manawatu
Fri June 29, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St,
Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Unions Waikato
Thur July 5, 5.15pm
TUC, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton
fiona.mcqueen@epmu.org.nz

Other Events and Campaigns

Unions Wellington First Friday Drinks
The regular monthly get together
After work, Friday June 1st
Brix Bar, Abel Tasman Hotel
Cnr.Willis & Dixon Streets

Mid Winter Christmas Party
Christmas comes early for low paid workers in Aged Care and Disability Support.  The Red Flag Social Club invites you to come and celebrate this good news with us at:
Trades Hall,
149 Gt North Road, Grey Lynn, Akld
Friday June 8, from 5.00pm
This celebration party is sponsored by SFWU, PSA & NZNO.
Food provided and cash bar available.
The Red Flag Social Club is organized by the Working Women’s Resource Centre. Further info: Ros Hiini, ph (09) 379-7906, email wwrc@ihug.co.nz

Talking Union. All Welcome
5:15 p.m. Thursday 7th June
NZCTU Board Room
7th Floor Education House
178 Willis Street Wellington 

Workers Education Association
Launch of new courses & forums
Monday 11th June Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Centre for Global Action
2nd Floor, James Smiths Bldg
cnr. Cuba St & Manners Mall
Wellington pbolster@anet.co.nz

CTU Meetings, Training

CTU Women’s Council Biennial Conference
Building our Power – Union Women in Action.
This is being held on the 29th and 30th June at the Mercure Hotel in Wellington.
The event includes national and international speakers, workshops and an opportunity to meet with around 150 women unionists from throughout the country.
If you are interested in attending Women’s Council, contact your union. It is EREL approved and registrations close 14 June.

Workplace Productivity Challenge: Exploring Workplace Productivity Issues. 
There is no charge to attend the Productivity Challenge, and some assistance is available for travel and other associated costs.
Seminars are as follows:
Tues 5 June, 9 am – 4.30 pm
Te Manawa Museum, Palmerston North, EREL deadline 22 May
This workshop is full so register to go on waiting list or next course sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by May 29

Thurs 7 June, 9 am – 4.30 pm
Trade Union Centre, 2 Lipton Place, Onekawa, Napier, EREL deadline 24 May sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by May 31

Tues 12June, 9 am – 4.30 pm
Club Southland, 115 Leet St, Invercargill
EREL deadline 29 May
sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by June 5

Wed 13 June, 9 am – 4.30 pm
St Johns Hall, Wellington Central,
EREL deadline 30 May
sandyo@nzctu.org.nz by June 6

More details and registration forms at: http://union.org.nz/workplaceproductivity.html

Learning Reps Training, for Rail & Port Workers
Monday/Tuesday 18th & 19th June, 9am-4.30pm,
Morgan & Dick Rooms, St Johns Centre, Cnr Willis & Dixon Sts, Wellington
marym@nzctu.org.nz

Learning Reps Training
Wed/Thurs 27th & 28th June, 9am-4.30pm
Fellowship Room, St Johns Centre
Cnr Willis & Dixon Sts, Wellington
marym@nzctu.org.nz