Category: Public Services

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ERA determination on public service job cuts a win for working people

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

The Employment Relations Authority’s determination that the Ministry of Education failed to comply with their workers’ collective agreement when cutting jobs sends a strong message that workers’ rights must be upheld, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff.

“The Government’s reckless attack on public services and workers has been brutal, and aspects of it have now been deemed unlawful,” said Wagstaff.

“We welcome this decision from the Employment Relations Authority, as it shows that government departments can’t just get away with ignoring their obligations to their workers.

“The directive from cabinet ministers to public service departments to make sweeping cuts to workforces has directly led to this disregard for worker’s rights and conditions.

“The Government’s rush to axe jobs has been indiscriminate – workers should be retained when public services are already struggling to keep up with demand.

“Working people deserve respect and dignity, and for their rights to be upheld. Collective agreements must not be ignored in pursuit of the Government’s ideological agenda.

“We congratulate the PSA for taking this case and fighting to uphold the rights and dignity of their members in the public service.

“This decision sends a strong message that employers must uphold their agreements with workers and not rush ahead with indiscriminate job cuts,” said Wagstaff.

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Axing of Pay Equity Taskforce will entrench inequities for working women

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is deeply disappointed by confirmation of the Public Service Commission that the Pay Equity Taskforce will be disestablished.

“The disestablishment of the Pay Equity Taskforce will result in gender and ethnic pay disparities persisting as pay equity claims go unaddressed,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“It sends a message that the Government is washing its hands of responsibility for ensuring that working women aren’t being discriminated against in their pay. This will mean that government abandons its role as a leader on pay equity.

“Government has an obligation to ensure that all communities are free from discrimination, paid fairly and have good incomes. That means addressing pay equity claims as a matter of urgency.

“The Taskforce was already understaffed and claims already taking too long. This decision will greatly compound the problem and undermine the progress toward pay equity in the public sector.

“The Taskforce is still needed. There are numerous claims still unresolved, and all resolved claims still need to be reviewed regularly, which means there must be a continued role for government.

“Everyone deserves good work that pays well, and that means we must not tolerate anyone being paid less because they work in industries that have been historically undervalued by virtue of being female dominated,” said Wagstaff.