July, 2002

"The 2002 Election result is a watershed in sending the New Right policies of the last decade into political oblivion," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

"National made a serious strategic error in continuing with the rejected policies of the Bolger and Shipley era and have suffered an historic electoral rejection by ordinary New Zealanders," he said.

The Australian union website, Workers Online, interviewed CTU secretary Paul Goulter a few days before New Zealanders went to the polls.

View the Workers Online interview.

Sundays NZ Herald Online included comment from CTU president Ross Wilson on the General Election result.

View the Herald story.

"National deserves to be annihilated at the ballot box for including exploitation of young workers as a plank of its election policy," the Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"A Council of Trade Unions research study released today clearly shows many New Zealand families are under severe pressure as a result of long work hours and changing work hour patterns," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"Only a vote for a Labour-led Government will result in policies which give workers a chance to reclaim their lives with their families and communities," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"The New Zealand union movement has made good gains in rebuilding union membership over the past two years but the gains have not been enough," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson told the Engineering and Printing and Manufacturing Union conference in Rotorua today.

CTU vice president Darien Fenton has called for New Zealand unionists to support workers fighting for reinstatement to their jobs at the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.

"CTU support for a 'Labour-led' Government would not extend to leading NZ First," CTU president Ross Wilson told the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union Biennial Conference in Rotorua today.

"The Corporation of Insurance Brokers attempt to scapegoat ACC for the 72 workplace deaths this year is a dishonest attempt to push privatisation of ACC," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

"Women's work is finally being taken seriously in the Government's report on pay equity,' said Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson today.

Next Steps Towards Pay Equity, a discussion paper released by the Minister of Women's Affairs Laila Harre, confirms the market alone will not close the gender pay gap.

"ACT's attempt to use the workplace fatality crisis to attack ACC is cynical and dishonest," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

ACT ACC spokesman Ken Shirley has claimed that the increase in workplace fatalities is caused by the re-nationalisation of ACC.

"Labours industrial relations policy provides a stark and enlightened alternative to the National/ACT option of returning to the failed and unfair policies of the 1990's," said CTU President Ross Wilson today.

New Zealand largest democratic organisation, representing nearly 300,000 union members went live today with a new website called www.union.org.nz.

"From today New Zealand workers have their own site full of their up to date news and easy to access information about our issues," said Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson.

Casino workers in New Zealand have been inspired by Australian union members at the Star City Casino in Sydney, the Burswood Casino in Perth and the recent law changes in Tasmania that make these casinos smokefree.

"The CTU is calling on all political parties to clearly state their policies and strategies to reduce the appalling death toll in New Zealand workplaces," Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

"The Council of Trade Unions has no hesitation in recommending to union members to support the election of a Labour led Government on the 27th July," said CTU president Ross Wilson today.