Fairness @ Work Plays of the Week Issue 2

Welcome to Plays of the Week - a weekly heads up from the Council of Trade Unions Fairness @ Work campaign.  Tips, tools and news to help you start worksite conversations each week about the real stories this election.  Print off or forward 'Plays of the Week' to workmates, family and friends, and better still let them know they can sign up for it from the CTU website.

Which services would National cut to pay for tax cuts?
John Key has said New Zealanders expect more tax cuts, and at National's conference last week, he ruled out borrowing to pay for them.  Kiwis need to know what would be cut to pay for more tax cuts - are they the special needs education staff working directly with kids with disabilities, or new IRD staff implementing KiwiSaver?  Or will there be more user-pays for things like doctor’s visits and prescriptions?

Working for Families makes inroads into child poverty
Last week the Children's Commissioner and Barnardos released a report saying child poverty has reduced as a result of Working for Families and stronger wage growth.  It says child poverty rose sharply in the late 1980s and early 1990s and there are still 22 per cent of kids in poverty. The report called for more support for parents in paid work, through increasing qualifications and skills and more paid parental leave and early childhood education, and supporting families with children financially through restoring benefit levels, more support for younger children and changes to child support. 

Did you know?
Did you know that core public servants make up just 3 percent of the workforce? Our public service is not large by world comparisons, and the CTU says if John Key wants to cut back room staff he should front up and name them.

What's happening
The EPMU's work rights wage drive is Wellington, Masterton, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North and Wanganui this week.  Full details: http://www.workrights.org.nz/schedule/.

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(A printable version is here)