Category: Employment Issues

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: The CTU Budget Report 2019

The Government describes it as a Wellbeing Budget and has taken a different approach to the way funding has been prioritised, including stating five Budget Priorities last December. We have therefore not only assessed it in the usual way by each of the main Budget areas (by ‘Vote’) but include an assessment as to what it has achieved for ‘wellbeing’.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: CTU welcomes Wellbeing Budget as a good start

The Council of Trade Unions is welcoming the
concept of a Wellbeing Budget “We certainly believe that a budget which
focuses on meaningful measures to ensure the lives of all New Zealanders are
better, is a good idea,” CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Finding enough revenue and the ‘Wellbeing Budget’

The Prime Minister has announced that the Government will not tax the income from capital gains while she is Prime Minister. It has therefore lost a future source of revenue at a time when needs are becoming ever more apparent, and just before its first ‘Wellbeing Budget’.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Transforming New Zealand’s low wage economy

This commentary is an edited version of a recent speech, “Transforming New Zealand’s low wage economy”. Whether we look at international comparisons, or look at whether employees are getting a fair share of the income that their work generates, New Zealand is a low wage economy. New Zealand wages adjusted for the cost of living have fallen from middle of the 23 countries in the OECD in 1990 to 5th lowest. Part of the reason is the poor productivity performance of firms. But wages have failed to keep up with even that weak productivity growth. If real wages in the market economy had risen at the same rate as labour productivity since 1989, the average hourly wage would have been over a quarter or almost $8 higher in March last year. Similarly, we can look at the share of the nation’s total income going to wages: the labour share of income. If it was the same as in 1981, average annual wages would have been $11,800 higher in the year ending March 2018. We have among the lowest labour income shares in the OECD – 7th lowest in 2017. It is sobering that two of our largest export industries, agriculture and tourism, have among the lowest wages.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: What the Tax Working Group did and didn’t do

The Tax Working Group (TWG) has
reported back. The reactions to the proposal for taxing the income from capital
gains have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous and from “it doesn’t go
nearly far enough” to “this is the end of the kiwi way of life”. They have
exposed a class society where one group of people seemingly believe that almost
everyone owns at least one investment property and a bach (no wonder they
didn’t believe there is a housing crisis) while the experience of most is that
buying even one house is increasingly unaffordable.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: The outlook for 2019

 This commentary looks at the year ahead. The Prime Minister has described this as the year of ‘delivery’ for the Government and she aint wrong. In addition we need to keep an eye on what’s happening in New Zealand’s economy and society, and how international events could affect us. 

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Victory for working people in New Zealand

The Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sam Huggard says that tonight’s passing of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill will be a victory for working people over an expensive lobbying campaign run by big business. “This law allows Kiwis to access their basic rights at work, to make more informed choices about their employment, and help each other get a fairer deal,” he said.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: The union pay premium, 2018

In August, the Centre for Labour, Employment and Work (CLEW) at Victoria University released their annual analysis of collective employment agreements (CEAs). It shows again that people who are part of a collective get better pay rises: the union pay premium.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Government move on electric trains puts Just Transition on the right track

The Council of Trade Unions today welcomed the Government announcement that Kiwirail would retain 15 electric engines on the Northern Trunk Line between Hamilton and Palmerston North. Secretary Sam Huggard said that it was a perfect example of ‘Just Transition’ thinking, to protect good jobs and public services in a low – carbon economy.

– –

Source: Council Of Trade Unions (CTU) – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Film Industry Working Group produces tripartite recommended model

Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff was pleased to have announced today a working model for moving forward with better employment laws for those in the film and screen industry. Mr Wagstaff, who was a member of the Film Industry Working Group, said that the process was constructive and collaborative, and demonstrated the value of establishing working groups providing solutions to pressing issues.

– –