Ross Wilson to 1999 CTU Conference

Speech by Ross Wilson, president elect, NZCTU to 6th Biennial NZCTU Conference, 1999 Monday 1 November 1999

This conference is a watershed in many ways. We are moving into a new century, with a new leadership and, hopefully, with a new worker friendly Government. As one of the new leaders I feel humble and apprehensive to have been elected to fill the shoes of Ken Douglas. But I also feel enthusiastic to take up the challenge of leading the New Zealand union movement as we emerge from a very difficult decade and together take up the challenges of the 21st century.

Unfortunately, the dawning of the new millennium will not diminish the scale of the challenges we will face as a union movement. Both workers and unions have taken a battering, politically, industrially, and economically for more than a decade. Social and economic inequality has increased, particularly between Maori and non-Maori. The relentless promotion of new right ideology has taken its toll and notions of community and collective responsibility have been corroded by individualism and indifference. Dramatic changes have taken place in the labour market. Union density is down to 22.2% from 52% in 1991, and is continuing to fall.

I feel cautious confidence that we can meet the challenge together. We have survived the most calculated and deliberate legislative and industrial attack on unions in any Western democracy in modern times, an attack which was intended to eliminate unions from New Zealand workplaces. We have proven the doomsayers wrong and adapted and survived.

But surviving is not enough. Reaching out to all people at work and organising for growth is the most important challenge facing the New Zealand union movement today. If we are to stop the membership decline unions must work to re-organise deunionised workplaces and break into the new jobs and industries where employment is growing.

That means we must, as a union movement, be strategic in our efforts and, when it comes to resources for organising, put our money where our mouth is. The days when we can afford to waste time and effort chasing the same shrinking pool of workers are gone.

An important objective must be to bring unions together in one union centre. A union movement divided is a union movement weakened.

Looking forward into the new century we need to develop a picture of the future world of work and a vision of the role that unions will play. We know that we have lost thousands of jobs in traditional areas, through both redundancies and anti-union strategies. At the same time we have failed to make an impact in the industries where employment is growing rapidly such as information technology, some parts of the service sector and in smaller workplaces.

The changing nature of work is also a major challenge with the move from traditional full-time employment to part-time, casualised or flexible working. Flexible working and hours of work may mean 24 hour organising coverage by unions.

We have recognised the challenge in numerous reports, including the 1994 Search Conference report and the 1998 CTU Review Report. We must now take decisive action to rebuild our movement whether we have a relatively benign Labour Alliance Government or an openly hostile National Act Government. We owe it to the workers of New Zealand to continue the fight.

There is no doubt that we have a good message to sell. The benefits of union membership are demonstrable and overwhelming. But we need to get that message out. It is a tragedy for many workers that hostile political and employer attitudes have denied them the benefits of union membership.

The presence of Bob White, Sharan Burrow and Michael Crosby at our conference is also a welcome reminder that we are part of an international movement and that we can learn from the experiences of sister unions in other countries. With the growth of globalisation and multi-national companies it is more important than ever that we not only talk together but work together too. Paul Goulter and I will be meeting with the new ACTU leadership later this month with the intention of developing a close and co-operative working between the ACTU and the NZCTU.

The union movements in the UK, Canada, the USA and Australia have all made deliberate moves towards a more organising and campaigning approach with recruitment as the priority. The new ACTU Secretary Greg Combet only last month launched a new report, 'Unions @ Work" based on the findings of an ACTU delegation to Great Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Canada and the USA. In essence the findings and recommendations of the report are:

-That educating and developing more delegates and activists in the workplace is essential to union growth and strength - That more resources?ideally at least 20% of union budgets - should be invested in growth; in organising and recruiting. - That unions must use new technology to improve communication, develop cost effective services, modern management methods and democratic structures. - That the union movement must speak loudly for workers through modern campaign and media methods, by building alliances with community organisations, and by developing international unionism.

Obviously we want to develop New Zealand solutions for the New Zealand context but these findings, and the experiences of other countries, sound very relevant for us. We have already had offers of co-operation and assistance from the TUC, the CLC, the AFL:CIO, the FTUC and the ACTU in developing our new strategies.

What seems very clear is that tomorrow's union will have to be an organising union, focussing strongly on recruitment, attractive to young workers in an increasingly diverse society, committed to an agenda of skills and equal opportunities, and respected by both workers and employers. It will need to be professional, democratic, and participatory. It must not only recognise the bicultural nature of Aotearoa but celebrate and draw strength from the wonderful ethnic and cultural diversity that is already a strong feature of our movement.

Tomorrow's union must also be, together as a union movement, a force for social change. Beneficial social change for workers has never come without social struggle. A well organised and visible union movement gives us the credibility to influence the political process. Good organising can provide us with the vehicle but it must be given direction by values, policies and leadership from the CTU. At this level we must have the debates in a open honest and participatory environment and develop the policies that we are going to organise and campaign around.

In having those debates we will need to take account of Ken's opening address this morning. If we do achieve the election of a Labour Alliance Government next month we will have to engage on a range of difficult issues. We will have to make difficult decisions about priorities. My commitment to you is that we will have our own debates, openly and transparently.

Those debates and policy discussion must continue to be underpinned by the same sort of strong analysis and advice which has been provided by Peter Harris for so many years. While we must also develop close working relationships with academics it is important to ensure that the CTU has the capacity to provide expert advice and support to affiliates. This must include the development of innovative approaches to the role of the state and the public policy measures necessary to achieve our vision of a democratic and fair society.

The crucial General Election vote this month will determine whether we will continue with the barren and damaging policies of the Shipley Government or elect a new Government which can begin the long and hard process back to economic and social sanity. The Conference resolution addresses our specific expectations of fair labour legislation, employment equity for women, and the need to restore economic and social equity and quality public services at an affordable cost.

Whatever the colour of the next Government we must take the responsibility to actively and publicly assert worker and union rights. The right to organise in unions and to bargain collectively are rights guaranteed by international law. In legislating the Employment Contracts Act the National Government has not only been in breach of international law, but has dangerously oppressed the legitimate expression of democratic rights both in the workplace and at Government policy level.

In asserting those rights we need to once again convey the excitement of union activity. I recently attended the AFL:CIO Convention in Los Angeles and one image which sticks firmly in my mind is the enthusiastic face of the young woman who had spent several weeks working in a union as part of their "Union Summer" programme. When asked what it had been like she replied "Scary ...but cool".

We have a richly diverse workforce in New Zealand and this is already reflected in the special structures within the CTU. The new leadership of the CTU may not reflect that diversity but we make an absolute commitment to actively support and work with the Runanga, the Komiti Pacifika, the Women's Council and the Local Affiliate Councils and build those structures so they play a full and participatory role in the operation of the CTU. We will do so in a way which reflects the CTU's commitment to the Treaty.

We must build on our diversity and strive to establish the CTU as the public voice for social unionism and workers rights. Workers will continue to look to us for leadership and we must give them hope and direction to a better future.

I have taken the opportunity to express my personal aspirations for our movement. I hope that they are largely shared by all of you but I thought it appropriate to spell them out so that they can be brought into the debate on the Conference resolution. Paul and I will be meeting with union executives over the next month so that we can start the process of a more detailed work programme which we can put before the National Affiliates Council as early as possible in the new year.

We want to build on the work of the last decade and draw on your expertise and views to put together a programme which is as close as possible to a consensus as our shared vision for unionism in the 21st century.

Paul, Darien and I are all new to the daunting roles we have been elected to. We feel very strongly the responsibility to deliver. We make a firm commitment to dedicate ourselves to achieving our common goals. But we need to work together as a union movement if we are going to achieve those goals. We ask you to confirm your support by voting for the Conference resolution.