Carol Beaumont - Unions, Sustainability and Democracy

Carol Beaumont, CTU secretary, speech to CTU 2007 biennial conference
October 15 2007.
For more documents from conference, click here.

Unions, Sustainability and Democracy – Te Ara Taumata

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa
He mihi nui ki a koutou
Ki te kaupapa o tenei wa
No reira
Tena koutou katoa

Introductory comments about purpose of session

The theme for our 2007 Biennial Conference is Unions, Sustainability and Democracy - Te Ara Taumata.  These are fundamental issues for unions and for Aotearoa/New Zealand. They are principles that are intertwined – democracy is a necessary pre-requisite for sustainability.  In this session we want to make some initial comments about these themes. I will consider the theme of Democracy and Helen Sustainability. Sharon will consider some of the implications of these themes – from a Maori perspective and Richard from a state sector perspective.

Throughout the conference we will be considering in presentations, remits and workshops aspects of democracy and sustainability.  These principles are important to us both in terms of our role in promoting and protecting democracy and sustainability nationally and internationally, but also for us internally in considering the future of the union movement and our own sustainability and democracy.

Democracy

Democracy is a word we use a lot to talk about our political system but it is a principle which should apply in many other situations - in unions, in the workplace and in community organizations. Unions have always been champions of democracy and as representative organizations we have sought to be democratic and membership driven.

The CTU constitution has a number of references to democracy both for us internally and for us in pursuing our union agenda externally:

• We exist to unite democratic trade unions and to achieve our aims and objectives in accordance with democratic majority decisions.

• Likewise we recognize trade unions which govern themselves with explicitly democratic procedures.

• One of the four key foundations of CTU is “to uphold the principles of democracy, including the democratic means of changing Governments”

• An explicit objective of the CTU is to promote and protect the political interests of the working people of NZ

There is no simple, easy definition of what we mean by democracy and there are many essential factors that are part of being democratic.  At its most simple democracy is the idea that all eligible people are entitled to exercise a choice or vote to determine a particular decision. In many cases where it is a representative democracy this includes voting for those who make decisions on implementing known policy.   But democracy is more than just voting.  Democracy is also about involvement in our community, our society and our country.  It is about engagement and having a say.  Democracy is also about minority groups and how they are represented in our decisions.

Clearly our support for democracy reflects both our commitment to equality and human rights and also our understanding that the interests of the many should not be overridden by the interests of the few.

The democratic process at a national level significantly includes the outcome of general elections and therefore the Government that then sets the legislative and policy framework we operate in. Unions seek Governments that recognise our legitimate role and deliver on our agenda. Many of the improvements we have achieved have been achieved through political means as well as industrial means.

As Ross said in the 1990s we saw a National Government determined to destroy unions and to undermine democracy as a consequence. The architect of the Employment Contracts Act the National Government Minister of Labour Bill Birch is reported to have told a meeting of the right wing “think tank” the HR Nicholls Society in Australia that the ECA was not only a means to reduce New Zealand wage costs for employers, but also to destroy unions “and the Labour Party they supported”.

Our Australian comrades have faced this attack and have mounted a brilliant campaign to fight back. Later in this conference we will hear from ACTU President Sharan Burrow about their campaign and how they will defeat John Howard in little over a month.

One of the important lessons we learned from the 1990s is that we as unions have to fight for our role as institutions of democratic society, and increase the public awareness that a political attack on unions is an attack on democratic society. And that is why, as Ross has already done today, the CTU Officers frequently and proudly make the statement that the CTU, with more than 350,000 affiliated union members, is the largest democratic organization in New Zealand.  It helps to define our important civil society role as a voice for workers and as a balance to corporate power.

We need to build power and influence so that our legitimacy – our right to exist and be the voice of workers at all levels is widely understood, accepted and is entrenched irrespective of the Government that is elected.

Is democracy something we take for granted in NZ?

I have to say I think it is. Perhaps our union colleagues in Fiji or Burma might hold a clearer picture of democracy and its value. In Burma our union friends risk their freedom and sometimes their lives fighting for democracy.  Globally union are often those first attacked by anti-democratic forces and often those that led the fight for democracy. Later in this conference we will hear from Naing Ko Ko a leader of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma about their intense struggle for democracy.

Democracy is a right but like all rights it has associated responsibilities.  Unions have a responsibility to be vigilant in protecting and promoting democracy.  Those entitled to vote have a responsibility to do so and to do so in an informed manner. Unions have a clear responsibility to foster that commitment and that understanding. 

Democracy is not a one off event like a General Election but a process and something we should use and promote at many levels:

Within unions
Within workplaces - Industrial democracy workers having a say at work – about health and safety, about work organisation and so forth – through strong and democratic unions.
Locally – Local Government
Nationally – Central Government and taking our place as social partners
In civil society – within community groups and non government organisations

True democracy – at any level requires certain things – it requires knowledge, information, commitment and time as well as transparent and reliable processes that cannot be captured by privileged elites or those with the most money.

How do we ensure that all people are involved and see the point in being involved?  Democracy in NZ is being undermined by abuses such as Ross outlined but also because ordinary New Zealanders are often cynical, disinterested or even hostile to politics or politicians. 

This creates an environment where people don’t bother engaging in political processes including the elections.  Much of this is because of a sense of disempowerment or a sense of exclusion.  Why vote if you feel left out or if you feel your basic rights and interests don’t count. Not participating, including not voting favours the interests of the privileged few. The consequences of low participation are clearly seen in the results of the Local Government elections over the weekend. The outcomes of which will have a major impact on peoples’ lives through less access to public services and transfer of costs to those often less able to afford it.

Unions need to be at the forefront of changing this lack of engagement. Some call it apathy, for me that implies blame that I think is wrong. We need to show leadership in giving people the reason to be engaged, to give them concrete reasons to seek to involve others, to inspire and to enable people to be involved. We need to both broaden and deepen political interest and activity by workers and their families.  When Helen and I launch the CTU’s political strategy on Wednesday I will talk more about how we might do this.

As unions we must take seriously our own responsibility to be democratic organizations where there are clear structures to take on representative roles, to have a say in decision making and to be informed about key issues.

We need to continue to strengthen the opportunities for members to control their unions. As with democracy generally this includes considering the implications of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our democratic processes. It also includes ensuring that those underrepresented in decision making gain voice; considering how while abiding by majority decisions we understand that those in the minority have the right to be respected and their point of view acknowledged and accommodated where possible.

Democracy is of fundamental importance to working people and to their unions and we have a crucial role to play at all levels in strengthening democracy. Only healthy democracies which include strong union movements can ensure fair inclusive societies and only fair inclusive societies are sustainable.

I look forward to the discussion around democracy and sustainability over the next three days.

Thank you