Fairness and respect at work - Union political strategy will make the difference

Enhanced work rights, strong public services and higher wages. These are the three policy planks of the political strategy announced today by the Council of Trade Unions leading into election year 2008.

CTU president Helen Kelly said the political strategy was about fairness and respect at work and in our communities.

“2008 is an important year,” she said.  “Unions have proved they can campaign well and win on the issues that matter to working people.

“Our political strategy sends a strong and unequivocal signal that there is a very significant role for unions in politics.”

“The CTU wants to know where all political parties stand on the protection and enhancement of work rights, stronger public services and higher wages. And importantly, we want to know what they plan to do about them.”

The CTU today set out the agenda for working people on which it would base its campaign in election year. 

“It centres on unions doing our politics differently, recognising specific political roles for union members, and backing up our political strategy with union activism around the core themes of work rights, public services and higher wages.”

“Our role is to represent the views of our members. 350,000 members and growing steadily. We are the largest democratic movement in New Zealand, and that’s a powerful mandate.”

“In the last 20 years we have seen considerable swings in politics that have had a significant impact on workers and their families.  Workers know that governments can make a big difference to their working lives, and we expect a government that supports working people and their families and stands up for people like us.”

“We are strong, we are in good heart and we are proud to represent working people.”

Helen Kelly said unions had worked all year developing the basis to the political strategy. This included talking to members and researching the views of working people.

The strategy was launched today at the final day of the Council of Trade Unions biennial conference in Wellington.

Click here to read Helen's speech and click here for the other documents in the CTU political strategy launch