THE UNIONIST: Election, cheaper doctor visits, wages and interest rates.

In The Unionist this week: the election, cheaper doctor visits, wages and interest rates. 

Election 2008 - November 8th

The Prime Minister has today announced the election date as November 8th.

And quick off the mark, this Monday CTU Unions Local groups will be hitting the streets in all the main centres, with CTU 'Fairness At Work - Worth Voting For' leaflets.

CTU president Helen Kelly said today there was a lot at stake for workers at this election.

"The last 20 years has seen considerable changes in New Zealand politics that have had a big impact on Kiwi workers and their families. Workers know that governments can make a big difference to their working lives, and this election unions will be closely analysing what each party's policies will mean for workers and their families."

Parliament will be dissolved on October 3.  MPs will return for at least one more sitting week when the House resumes on September 23 after a week's recess which started yesterday. 

The Unionist will have plenty of election coverage for the next 7 weeks, and be sure to sign on to 'Plays of the Week' - a weekly heads up from the Council of Trade Unions Fairness At Work campaign.  Plays of the Week has a couple of short bites of information, and details of any union election events happening in your area, and you can sign on here: www.fairnessatwork.org.nz - look for the Plays of the Week logo in the top right corner.

Cheaper doctor fees - should I stay or should I go?

Workers are still left wondering whether National will remove the cap on GP fees,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.

“Cheaper doctor visits and prescriptions are very popular policies for workers.  About a million people today receive low-cost primary health care, including free doctor visits for under-sixes.”

“If this is an area where National wants more user-pays, they need to be honest with workers about this.”

“From a worker's perspective lots of things make up their wage packet – not only taxes and the wage rate itself, but also the social services that impact on our incomes. And workers will be worse off if a larger tax cut is coupled with more user-pays on our roads and in our doctor clinics.”

The policy announcement also confirms National has nothing new to say on wages, Helen Kelly said.

“When it comes to lifting workers wages, all National can talk about is tax cuts. Leaving it to taxes alone is a joke.  There are serious workforce issues in health, and saying tax cuts will solve recruitment and retention is wrong,” Helen Kelly said.

Wage gap with Australia

“It is ironic to see John Key ask Labour to please explain the wage gap with Australia when in fact it blew out in the 1990s under a National-led Government,” CTU Economist Peter Conway said on Monday.

“The CTU estimates the wage gap with Australia to be around 30 percent. With variations in the exchange rate and depending which wage figures are compared, there are numerous figures circulating.”

“For instance, comparing the full time adult rate in Australia with the average weekly wage in New Zealand at current exchange rates showed a difference close to 50 percent. However, if we compare the New Zealand average weekly wage with the Australian all employees rate of $AUD890.90, the difference is more like 15 percent.”

“The reality is that we have a significant wage gap with Australia. The gap grew by 50 percent in the 1990s and from 2000 to June 2007 it grew by less than 2 percent.

“Since then, wages in New Zealand have gone up faster than in Australia so it is likely that the gap has not expanded at all between 2000 and 2008.”

“ Australia has a higher minimum wage, kept occupational and industry-wide agreements that set out minimum pay and conditions, and invested in more capital per worker and skills development in the 1990s.”

“Since then, we have been in catch-up mode,” Peter Conway said.

Interest rate cut the right decision

The Council of Trade Unions has backed the Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official cash rate by 0.5 percent.

“Although trading banks are arguing the offshore cost of borrowing restricts their ability to pass on a rate cut which they had already factored in, the announcement of a half percent cut is higher than what most expected,” CTU Economist Peter Conway said.  “This means there will be pressure on the banks to respond.”

“Wages as measured by the Labour Cost Index rose by 3.5 percent in the June 2008 year, consumer prices were up by 4 percent and Treasury say labour productivity for the March year rose by 3.1 percent. This shows that it is not wage pressures driving inflation compared with food prices for example.”

MULTIMEDIA: Click here to listen to CTU Economist Peter Conway debate the issues on Radio NZ's Nine to Noon programme (or click here to download the mp3 podcast)

Weekly Events Calendar

Auckland meet the candidates
Tonight - 12 September 2008, from 5pm
At the Supper Room, Trades Hall
147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn. 

Workers Education Association – “Electoral Forums” 
Monday September 15th,  12:10-1:00 p.m.
John Maynard, Postal Workers Union, "Uniform Rights"-Posties won't wear exploitation of Chinese tailors!
WEA Rooms, 3rd Floor, Anvil House, 178 Wakefield Street, pbolster@anet.co.nz 

NZEI Central Hawke's Bay Meet the Candidates
Thursday September 18th, 4.00 p.m.
Argyll School

Napier Branch "Political Forum - Meet the Candidates Evening"
Thursday 18th September at 5 p.m.
Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT)

NZEI Christchurch Political Forum
Thursday September 18th 7pm
Chisnallwood Intermediate School

NZEI West Auckland Branch - Education election meeting
Thursday 18 September, 7.30 to 9.30,
Unitec Lecture Theatre, Ratanui St, Henderson.

Forum – Focusing on women’s issues in Election 2008
“Women, Work and Pay’ Friday 19th September 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Rutherford House, Bunny Street, Lecture Theatre 3.
Speakers: Maryan Street, Labour; Sue Kedgley, Greens; Katrina Shanks, National. (Others may be confirmed)
Organised by the Association of University Staff Status of Women Committee.
Optional dinner afterwards.
Contact womens.officer@aus.ac.nz

Suffrage Day Celebration.
Friday 19th September, from 5.30pm, at Trades Hall, 149 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.
In honour of Suffrage Day, the Working Women’s Resource Centre is hosting a celebration of all that has been achieved for working women, men, families and communities under our Labour led Government.  To acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our Labour led Government, the Green Party, our Unions, other individuals and organizations.    All welcome.
Ros Hiini, Organiser, Working Women's Resource Centre, Phone  09 3797906, email wwrc@ihug.co.nz

Taranaki District Council “Meet the Candidates” evening
Monday 22nd September  7.30pm-9.00pm
Devon Hotel, New Plymouth

“The Hollow Men” –
Unions Wgtn screening at the Paramount, 6:00 p.m. Monday  Sept. 22nd
A Brilliant film based on the book by Nicky Hager.  Tickets [only $12-50] from nanette.cormack@aus.ac.nz or patb@nzctu.org.nz 

Unions Local - remanining meeting times in September. For more info on Unions Local, including contacts for other areas not listed below, click here.

Unions Canterbury
Tues Sept 16, 4pm
TUC, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch
karena.brown@epmu.org.nz 

Unions Northland
Tues Sept 23, 5pm
TUC, 7 First Ave, Whangarei
garry.parsloe@munz.org.nz

Unions Manawatu
Friday Sept 26, 3pm.
PSA House, 41-47 King St, Palmerston North
john.shennan@psa.org.nz

Other Events and Campaigns

All Unionists Welcome To Attend A Forum
Claiming our identities and responsibilities: A reflection on the experiences of Maori workers in asserting and supporting diversity in the workplace and in the union movement
This session hosted by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Runanga will share and reflect on our experiences around the framing and promotion the indigenous values of whanaungatanga (solidarity/relationships) in the workplace and in the union movement. In articulating and developing our practice of whanaungatanga as an organising strategy we will reflect on how this embraces and supports communities of diversity in the workplace and the broader union moment. The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Runanga will reflect on the relationship developed with Pasefika and other new migrant workers organising in the workplace.
Please contact: Helen Te Hira and Syd Keepa, Te Runanga o NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi. Email: helent@nzctu.org.nz or phone                09 303 9018         or                021 0554969        . See also www.nzctu.org.nz.
Venue: Level 12, Unite Building, 300 Queen S
Brought to you by Maori Models of Organizing Project

Migrante Aotearoa: We want you to speak out!
Forum
Venue: Langston,
Maungawhau Summit, Mt. Eden
2-6pm, Saturday Sept. 20th 2008.
The public plight of migrant workers in New Zealand is often discussed by others, rather than migrant workers themselves. On September 20th 2008, Migrante Aotearoa and Auckland Philippines Solidarity are sponsoring a forum to hear migrant workers from the Filipino and other migrant nationalities speak out about their experiences and propose their solutions to problems they face. Trade unionists, politicians and migrant advocates will be present to hear and respond to the issues raised. There will be clinics with unionists and lawyers to assist with workplace and immigration problems.
More details: http://union.org.nz/event/2008/migrante-aotearoa-speak-out 

Open Day at Parliament – Sunday 14 September 2008
You and your family are invited to the free Open Day at Parliament on
Sunday 14 September.
It’s an opportunity to experience Parliament with a self-guided, self-paced look behind the scenes. Enter the debating chamber, see the office of a member of Parliament, learn about the 150 year history of the Parliamentary Library, and let your children participate in activities and competitions. The Open Day starts at 10 am Sunday 14 September with last entry at 3.30 pm. Entry is free. Please note security screening will be in place. For more visit www.parliament.nz

In the Aftermath of the Urewera Raids: Discussing colonisation, courts and contempt
Public Meeting
Monday, 22 September, 6.30pm
St Johns in the City, cnr Willis and Dixon Sts, Wellington
Speakers:
Moana Jackson (Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Porou) - Speaking about the context of the raids of October 15th last year
Steven Price (media lawyer, author of www.medialawjournal.co.nz) - Speaking about media law and contempt of court
Followed by question and answer session, then talk over tea, coffee and biscuits.

CTU Meetings, training

Workplace Productivity Challenge Workshop 
There are places available in the following workshops - please register now:
- Monday 22 September, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Auckland Central
- Tuesday 7 October, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Hamilton
- Friday 10 October, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Wellington Central
- Tuesday 28 October, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Christchurch
- Tuesday 28 October, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Mangere East
- Thursday 30 October, 9 am - 4.30 pm, Dunedin

Registration forms for these workshops and dates for others are on the CTU website. There is no charge to attend the Productivity Challenge which is an EREL-approved course. Financial assistance is available for travel, wage reimbursement (if not using EREL or other leave) and other associated costs.

We are also seeking expressions of interest for a workshop at Tauranga, tentative date 6 November. Please email Sandy O'Neil if you and / or delegates and other members are keen to attend at this location.

Email Sandy - productivity@nzctu.org.nz
 
Check out the WPEP website for more information: http://union.org.nz/workplaceproductivity