www.firstunion.org.nz
UNEMIG Launched Page 11
Official newspaper of FIRST Union
Housing Action Page 4
December 2012
playing with fire Page 15
Unemployment at 13 year high
Action needed to create jobs not attack work rights
Workers, students and community rally for jobs in Greymouth
U
nemployment has risen to 7.3% or 175,000 people.
The last time unemployment was so high was 1999,
and FIRST Union says the government needs to
take its focus off cutting work rights and transfer its energy
to creating jobs.
Robert Reid, General Secretary of FIRST Union, said that
the government is asleep at the wheel on jobs. “Workers in
manufacturing and other sectors are paying for government
inaction through constant job losses.”
Instead of taking ownership of the jobs crisis, the National
Government is using high unemployment as a flimsy excuse
to reduce workers rights, especially for young people.
“It was claimed that 90 day trial periods would help unemployment, but instead it keeps rising. Further tipping the balance away from workers and in favour of employers does not
create jobs, it only drives down wages and conditions,” said
Robert Reid.
The National Government has denied that there is any crisis in manufacturing despite almost-daily announcements of
redundancy. Instead, it is rolling out a programme of attacking workers and their unions.
The government has already announced that it is going to
re-introduce youth rates, called a “starting wage”, that will
reduce thousands of 16-19 year old workers’ pay to a measly
$10.80 per hour.
The government is also expected to make changes to
employment law which would allow employers to walk away
from collective bargaining without any obligation to settle
an agreement and to deduct the pay of workers taking partial
industrial action.
Robert Reid said that youth rates would not only force
thousands of young people into poverty, but they could also
displace many adult workers such as those in FIRST Union’s
retail sector. “If adult workers lose jobs or hours to young
workers who can be paid below the minimum wage, there is
zero benefit to our community. We need to tackle youth
unemployment with job creation schemes and make sure that
young people get the education and training they need, not
by cutting wages.”
Unions will be fighting the changes, and the youth union
movement Stand Up is in the process of launching a “Same
Work, Same Pay” campaign.
“We need action on jobs,” said Robert Reid. “Safe secure
jobs with decent pay for all workers, regardless of age.
Cutting pay and weakening unions didn’t create jobs in the
1930s and 1990s and it won’t create jobs now.”
To find out more about the campaign go to
www.sameworksamepay.org.nz
INSIDE :
• Conference photos–p 8 & 9
• Countdown wages
rise–p2
Page 2
Union Express | December–2012
FIRST LOCAL NEWS
www.firstunion.org.nz
Countdown wages going up again
Full index
Sections
FIRST News
2–3
Community news
4
International news
6
Biennial Conference
8–9
Feature articles
10
Your rights
12
Union business
13
Perspectives & Letters to Editor
14
Fun page
15
Notices/Union News/Services
16
ews
5
In the community
4
Feature
1
LawyerFeature
-
Training education dates
-
From the Executiveur rights
14
General Secretaryerspectives
14
Sudoku/Slane cartoon
15
Editor– Rebecca Matthews
Journalists–Sam, Bill, Rebecca and FIRST Union staff
Authorised by FIRST Union,
120 Church Street, Onehunga.
Submissions
We actively encourage membership participation
in your newspaper, the Express. You may fax, email
or dictate a story for the Express. We are here to help.
Next submission due date: Februrary 2013
All comments, letters to the editor, artwork, poetry,
photos, ideas, stories should be sent to the following
contacts.
Contact us
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0800 863 477
Fax: (09) 622 8353 attention Union Express
Address: 120 Church Street, Onehunga
Postal Address: Private Bag 92904, Auckland
Subscriptions: [email protected]
(09) 622 8520
Change of address: 0800 863 477
Photos
Three percent at Countdown
Countdown workers’ wages are going up
again, by 3 per cent.
In January the final instalment of a two
year deal that saw wages rise by 10% in 4
stages will be paid out to workers.
Union members get their payrise
two
months early.
Countdown
Kilbirne worker Cheryl says it’s been good
getting regular payrises and it makes workers
feel valued.
“The fact that we do get it earlier than others
is good – makes the little people feel the same
as the big person.”
“Its great to know that the union has my best
interests at heart, so I know I’m well looked
after.” The Countdown collective agreement
also has other union only benefits such as
8 days sick leave after 2 years service, $1 an
hour extra for working between 1am and
5am and a fifth week annual leave after ten
years service.
Decent work focus of biennial conference
Over 70 FIRST Union delegates from all
around the country and all sectors of our
union met in Auckland in October for the
biennial FIRST Union conference.
Achieving good jobs and decent lives for
workers was the organising call for delegates as part of putting into action our four
year plan centred on achieving decent work
and a decent life. The FIRST Union Decent
Work-Decent Life agenda covers four main
areas: jobs for all, a living wage, secure
work and safe work.
These themes were echoed throughout
the conference. A panel discussion on poverty and inequality raised the issues for people both in and out of work but living in
poverty from a number of angles, and the
national and international causes of growing inequality.
International speakers Rob Johnston
from IndustriALL and Leon Carter from
the Australian Finance Sector Union talked
about organising in different parts of the
world.
The conference also got the opportunity
to talk with political leaders as Hone
Harawira, Russel Norman and David
Shearer all addressed FIRST Union members.
Delegates also heard what members are
up to in all of the different sectors of our
union, while the Women’s Network, the
Runanga, the Pasifika fono and UNEMIG
(the migrant workers’ network) all reported
on their activities from the last year.
FIRST Union General Secretary Robert
Reid told the conference “We do live in difficult and challenging times but FIRST
Union, our union, is not only weathering the
storm but is getting bigger and stronger to
serve the interests of our members and the
working class in general.”
Rob Johnston, IndustriALL
Size isn’t everything when it comes to union power
before the union started collective
Six workers might not seem like
bargaining last year the worker
enough to make an impact on a
business’s operations through would receive between .5% and
industrial action but the union 1.5% each year. members at Onehunga’s Crane
“We’ve never had even a 2%
Distribution can tell you other- increase. If we were still on individual agreements I think we
wise. The workers walked off the job would have got less than 1.5%
last month after negotiations with
again. This is a good deal for us.” the Fletcher Building owned comUnion organiser Jared Abbott
pany yielded an offer of only 2.3% said he was proud of the guys for
on the Collective Agreement rates. their action despite being such a
It took only two days of strike
small group. A picket attended by
action for the company to increase
the members garnered strong supthe offer to include 2.5% on the
port from the passing public and
printed rate and a further $750 in
received coverage in the New Zealump sum payments, making the land Herald and on various radio
total settlement worth around
stations.
4.5% to the workers.
Site delegate Liavaa Etuale said
For FIRST photos, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/ndu
Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily
represent the views of the FIRST Union.
FIRST Union
The FIRST Union is a democratic organisation run by
working people for working people. We organise for
a better future and for respect for ourselves and our
families through building power on the job, in our
industries and our community.
Onehunga Crane Distribution strikers
Page 3
Union Express | December–2012
FIRST BRIEFS
nFIRST@ Farmers
After 5 days of bargaining, including 2 with
a mediator from the Labour Department,
Farmers produced a 45 cent offer Union
organiser Kathryn Tucker said. FIRST Union
members reluctantly agreed to accept the
offer but vowed to fight for a better
settlement in 10 months’ time. This was
illustrated with a majority vote to take
industrial action if the current offer was
declined.
nOrganising power
Over 130 Hydro-Carbon Tanker Drivers
received a 3.25% wage increase and new
redundancy compensation after
negotiations with Hooker Pacific concluded
this month. Union organiser Jared Abbott
is now working on a multi-union Energy
Drivers Council to kick off early next year. The aim of the forum will be build union
awareness in the sector with a long-term
goal of having industry wide terms and
conditions. He said the current model
employed by oil companies of subcontracting the delivery of fuel with short term
contracts regularly coming up for tender
leads to transport companies undercutting
each other and driving down real wages in
order to obtain the business.
nBunnings agreement ratified
FIRST Union members at Bunnings have
voted to accept a new collective agreement.
The one year deal provides a pay increase of
20 cents per hour for all staff, plus an
additional 45c per hour on anniversary. For
the first time people on top of the band or
above the bands will also receive the
guaranteed 45c on their anniversary. The
company also agreed to FIRST Union claims
for a paid day off around the staff
member’s birthday, and 10 days sick leave
after 5 years service. Working groups will
also be established to look at the definition
of full time applying at 24 hours, the
reinstatement of the half apron and review
of the safety boots allowance, and
improving safety in relation to forklifts.
nTridonic workers get first CEA
FIRST Union members at Tridonic have
ratified their first collective agreement. The new agreement guarantees a
minimum wage of $15 for union members
and has a number of improvements on
existing conditions including penal rates for
overtime and union only rights.
nTake a seat, Westpac
Despite a recent 22% increase in profits,
Westpac is attempting to cut corners – and
costs – when it comes to their own staff.
Westpac is following in the footsteps of
other banks by adopting a new, more open
branch environment, and by trying to deny
staff the basic work right of a chair to sit on.
FIRST Union has successfully reminded
other banks that under law they are
required to provide seating for staff. We are
currently reminding Westpac of these
obligations and expect chairs to be
provided in all branches.
FIRST LOCAL NEWS
www.firstunion.org.nz
Unionism working for Christchurch Yarns
A good relationship between
FIRST Union and Christchurch
Yarns (CYNZ) is reaping good
results for both workers and the
company, through good times and
bad and has recently seen a
number of temporary jobs made
permanent.
This long standing good working relationship between the union
and the company was demonstrated through some leaner times,
as in 2010 when all staff and management agreed to a 10% pay cut
and to surrender 1 weeks shift
leave for 12 months. Workers
agreed to these change to ensure
the future of CYNZ and that all
staff would remain employed
going forward.
Better times were to come,
when in 2011 the company went
into a growth phase as a result of
significant new business
In order for the company to
meet the new demand 18 temporary workers were brought on.
Many of whom were ex Canterbury Spinners employees who
Union members at Christchurch Yarns
were offered and have accepted
were laid off due the earthquakes.
During this period times permanent positions.
CYNZ is a commission woollen
remained tough in the textile trade
and there was a roll over of terms Spinning Mill producing high end
and conditions in 2012. After quality carpet yarn. They export
open discussion between the union predominantly to Australia as well
management and the temporary as USA UK and more recently
workers the 14 remaining temps Asia. They currently have 89
staff, and FIRST Union has 63
members onsite.
The company recognises the
resolve and commitment of the
union and its members, and our
contribution to the ongoing success of the business.
Taking on the use of name and shame boards in banks
Nearly fifty FIRST Union members working for ANZ National
have got together to take on the
use of “name and shame” target
boards in contact centres in Auckland and Wellington. FIRST
Union has taken their complaint
about the publishing of ANZ staff
individual performance against
their work targets on whiteboards
to the Privacy Commissioner.
FIRST Union Legal Services
Co-ordinator Oliver Christeller
says that the boards are visible to
not only all workers on site, but
contractors and other visitors to
the contact centre.
“The boards identify members
by name, with their average handling time, commitment to schedule, not ready time and members’
success against targets. They show
target percentages, even using
different coloured pen to draw
attention to different results,” said
Oliver. “Our members do not
approve to the publication of their
private information, and we are
asking the bank to remove these
boards and not to publish similar
information in future.”
Oliver said that the members’
joint action was a great demonstration of how union members can
get together and take action against
unfair management of sales targets.
Before going to the privacy
commissioner, members met with
the bank who claimed that the
information is not ‘about’ identifiable individuals, which FIRST
Union has rejected. The union is
maintaining that the gathering of
personal information is unlawful
and unfair.
Cashelle, Coralie, and Alastair from ANZ Contact Centre
ANZ National staff are not the
Union members throughout the
only group standing up to the use finance sector have a variety of
of name and shame boards. concerns about targets and their
Westpac union members have
management, and they way they
made a claim in bargaining that
put pressure on staff to sell debt to
information
about
targets
customers.
performance should not be
displayed in worksites.
FIRST Union looking to forestry sector
FIRST Union is in the early planning stages of a campaign to reunionise forestry workers as an
important part of our wood sector.
CTU President Helen Kelly
Council of Trade Unions President Helen Kelly drove home the
need for a union presence in this
industry as part of her address to
the FIRST Union biennial conference. She
described how dangerous
forestry work is, and that
forestry workers are all
too often working long
hours, in the worst conditions and for very low
pay. She said there were
appalling statistics for
workplace death and
injury for forestry workers. Workplace accidents
in our forests cause the equivalent
number of deaths to a Pike River
tragedy every six years.
The CTU estimates that the New
Zealand’s forest industry death toll
was 34 times higher than the UK
and wages ranked fourth-lowest of
12 compared countries.
Helen Kelly told the Gisborne
Herald that the accident rates in
NZ forests was dreadful, and that
drug testing alone was insufficient
to end the workplace toll. She said
training, trained health and safety
representatives and reasonable
work hours were all needed.
FIRST Union’s wood sector dis-
cussed the need to recruit in the
forestry sector and to campaign for
better health and safety, as part of
their sector conference. Wood Sector Secretary Rawiri Daniels said
the conference passed a remit to
broaden their sector to include
land-based industries, and that forestry was a huge part of that.
Rawiri Daniels said a plan was
still being finalised, but that gathering research and information
would be an important first step in
FIRST Union’s work in forestry.
Page 4
COMMUNITY NEWS
Union Express | December–2012
FIRST BRIEFS
Historic hui for Iwi and union leaders
nBus drivers vote to ratify
collective agreement
After six months of bargaining, NZ Bus
drivers have voted to ratify a new
collective agreement and are welcoming
the company’s commitment to a culture
change in the organisation.
Just over two thirds of union members
voted in favour of the new agreement.
FIRST Union Transport and Logistics
Secretary Karl Andersen said that drivers
welcomed NZ Bus comments that the
culture of the company would change,
and said that the role of unions would be
essential to making change happen.
“There are still clearly some outstanding
issues that NZ Bus will need to work on
during the course of this agreement,” he
said. “Drivers still have some real concerns
about work hours and duty times and we
look forward to making progress on
these.”
nWorkplace no place for pushing
and shoving
FIRST Union says that there is no place for
pushing and shoving in the workplace, in
response to media reports that a New
World staff member has laid an assault
complaint after being shoved by their
manager, former All Black Eric Rush.
“Retail staff head into the Christmas
season knowing it will be more difficult
and stressful,” said FIRST Union Retail
Sector Secretary Maxine Gay. “The
number of abusive incidents increases
dramatically as the shops are busier and
customers are under pressure.”
Maxine Gay said that supermarket
workers need to know that their
managers will help protect them from
the most difficult customers, not take
part in physical intimidation themselves,
and that iIt is not okay for a manager to
get physical with their own staff.
Maxine Gay called on the Foodstuffs chain
to ensure its managers received proper
training on how to treat their staff with
respect, and to ensure that its supermarkets were safe places to work.
nFIRST Union playing important
role in Canterbury recovery
FIRST Union and the Council of Trade
Unions continue to support the rebuilding
of Christchurch following the devastating
earthquakes, with Southern Sector
Secretary Paul Watson taking up the role
of CTU Co-ordinator for Canterbury
Rebuild and Recovery. This is a one day a
week role funded through the CTU.
Paul was already representing unions on
the Canterbury Employment and Skills
Board. The role is focused around Unions
Canterbury work programme which
included secure, safe, highly-skilled,
well-paid jobs with good working
conditions for Canterbury workers, access
to affordable housing for workers and
their families, and maximum unionisation,
in particular in the horizontal and vertical
rebuild areas.
www.firstunion.org.nz
Over 180 Maori union members,
union leaders and Iwi leaders
met in Tauranga in September
and have resolved to both
strengthen the relationship
between unions and Iwi to
progress the rights of workers in
this country, and to endorse the
position Iwi reached at Turangawaewae regarding the call to
halt asset sales and negotiate
water rights with Iwi.
The historic hui outlined the
areas of common interest the
parties had in working together
particularly in relation to the
importance of work and wages to
the economic wellbeing of Maori.
It recognised the crucial role Iwi
leaders had played in the settle-
State house tenants
highlight housing crisis
State house tenants being evicted by Housing New Zealand have
marched on Parliament to draw attention to a deepening housing crisis
in New Zealand.
The groups, from Glen Innes in Auckland, Maraenui in Napier and
Pomare in Lower Hutt, presented a petition calling for the ‘urban renewal’
programmes in their communities to be halted so proper community
discussion could take place.
The Tamaki Housing Action Group say more houses need to be built,
not simply moving them from place to place only to sell the land to private
investors for profits.
Of the 156 state houses being removed from Glen Innes, only 78 will
be owned by Housing New Zealand. The other half are to be put on the
market and sold to private developers.
“For a working-class and mostly Maori and Pacific Islander community
like GI, this is an economic and ethnic cleansing of the suburb,” the group
said.
Napier City Councillor Maxine Boag was on the march. She said there
are empty state houses waiting to be sold or demolished, while two or
three families are living beside them in one overcrowded, unhealthy
house because they cannot even get on the waiting list for their own state
house.
“This social housing policy has broken up communities to sell off the
land to private developers.“They have no intention of building new state
houses in these areas, as they have made most new applicants for state
houses ineligible,” she said.
Glen Innes community and supporters
with huge potential for collaboration that will make work better,
safer and more secure.
“Iwi leaders described it as a
‘no-brainer’ that the interests of
Maori workers are the same
interests promoted by unions and
Iwi in their everyday work, and
that by combining our strengths
in strategic collaborations, we
will all benefit,” said Syd.
The FIRST Union contingent
at the hui included General Secretary Robert Reid, Retail Secretary Maxine Gay, Wood
Secretary Rawiri Daniels and a
group of twenty delegates.
At the hui Maori workers and
their unions called for the Government to stop asset sales and
for Iwi to work together to define
and negotiate Maori proprietary
ment of the recent dispute at the
AFFCO meatworks, including by rights and interests over water.
the presentation of a taonga from They strongly urged Iwi not to
enter into negotiations with the
the meatworkers union to those
crown until proprietary rights
Iwi involved.
and
interests was addressed.
CTU Maori Vice President
Syd
Keepa said the recognition
(and FIRST Union organiser)
of
common
interest dominated
Syd Keepa said he was confident
the
mood
of
the
hui.
that the hui marked the beginning of something very exciting,
Living wage campaign
gains momentum
FIRST Union President Margaret Dornan signs up to the Living Wage campaign
FIRST Union has signed up to support Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand, a new campaign to address poverty and inequality by lifting low
wages. The gap between the rich and poor in New Zealand is growing
and New Zealand is now one of the most unequal countries in the world.
The Living Wage campaign is a joint community and union campaign,
modelled on successful campaigns overseas. The campaign is all about
building community awareness of low pay and building support for a living wage for all workers. A living wage is an income that provides the
necessities of life and enables workers and their families to participate in
society. It is not about what employers say they can afford, but what workers and their families need to live a decent life.
Since the Auckland launch in May, the number of supporting organisations has grown to over 100. The list includes many churches, and social
justice organisations such as Child Poverty Action Group, Oxfam and
Mangere Budgeting Family support Services. First Union and all major
New Zealand unions have signed up to support the campaign, along with
the NZCTU.
In London, which has become a “living wage city” the local council
strongly encourages employers to pay the London living wage, which is
37% higher than the minimum wage. Community organisations, churches
and unions are now actively campaigning to make Auckland a living wage
city, and around the country union members are talking with community
organisations about supporting Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand.
Find out more about Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand on www.
livingwagenz.org
Page 5
UNION MOVEMENT
Union Express | December–2012
NATIONAL BRIEFS
nManufacturing inquiry
Labour, the Greens, NZ FIRST and Mana
have launched an inquiry into manufacturing, a sector which has seen 40,000 jobs
lost since 2008. It was announced at a Jobs
Crisis Summit organised by the EPMU in
October. FIRST Union General Secretary
Robert Reid said an inquiry into manufacturing won’t bring back the thousands of
jobs already lost in the past three or four
years, but it will draw attention to the jobs
crisis facing manufacturing, and what can
be done about it.
nKiwiRail redundancies
158 KiwiRail workers are to lose their jobs,
following cutbacks announced by the State
Owned Enterprise. The Rail and Maritime
Transport Union pushed KiwiRail to take
volunteers for redundancy and to not fill
vacancies, and this has meant that the total
number of compulsory redundancies is
down to 29. Union general secretary
Wayne Butson said KiwiRail was the victim
of poor government policy. “We have an
opportunity to create employment and
build a world class integrated transport
system using rail, and instead we’re
running it into the ground,” he said.
nMore jobs lost in wood processing
Carter Holt Harvey has informed staff it
plans to cut around 70 jobs in Rotorua and
Tokoroa before Christmas. The EPMU said
the company was proposing to cut 18
positions cut at its Tokoroa plywood plant
and the closure of its Rotorua Profiles plant
at a cost of more than 50 jobs including
contractors. The company has cited a fall in
demand from export markets in Australia
and a lack of new builds in New Zealand as
the reason for the redundancies.
nTravel time for home support workers should be paid
One year after winning the historic case for
payment of sleepovers for disability
support workers, the Service and Food
Workers Union has filed another landmark
case. The SFWU has filed a case with the
Employment Relations Authority to begin
the legal fight for home support workers
to be paid travel time.
Thousands of other home support workers,
get paid for the time they spend at a
client’s house, but not all the time they
spends driving from client to client. They
are paid an allowance for mileage, but
nothing for the considerable time spend
travelling. The Human Rights Commission
Equal Opportunity Commissioner, Judy
McGregor, has backed the claim.
www.firstunion.org.nz
An update on Pike River
By Dave Feickert
Dave Feickert is a mining consultant who worked in the UK
coal industry for 10 years. Along
with British mining experts
Bob Stevenson and David
Creedy, Dave has been working
with the Pike River victims
families to review the feasibility
of a mine re-entry plan. Dave is
also a union stalwart with many
active years in the movement.
Bob, Dave and I spent this week
in Greymouth at the request of the
victims’ families to review the feasibility of a mine re-entry plan
Anyone who has spent time with
miners and the families on the
West Coast will pick up some his-
tory about the mining industry. It
seeps into every discussion around
a meal or a drink, or just driving
around the area.
The
Royal
Commission
Inquiry into the deaths of the 29
miners at Pike River on 19
November 2010 has vindicated
the Families Group and the
unions. It has reached conclusions and made recommendations on all the main points and
requests made by them. It is now
up to all of us to ensure that the
recommendations are implemented.
The responsibility for this
entirely preventable disaster was
laid by the commission on the
company management and the
Department of Labour officials
who failed to implemented the
law we have, however defective,
to protect the lives of people
working in a high risk industry. I
predict that the recommendations will be implemented, especially as the Families Group will
fight on to ensure it happens.
Unions must support them and
ensure that the lessons of Pike
River are applied throughout all
workplaces in New Zealand.
Moreover, a group of us came
together during the week of the
report’s publication to plan for the
re entry of the mine to retrieve as
many of the bodies of their family
members as possible. We believe
we have come up with a safe plan
- as demanded by the Prime Minister before the government will
commit any cash. My two British
colleagues, Bob Stevenson and
David Creedy, top mine safety
experts, I cannot thank enough for
committing their time to this.
Bernie Monk has adopted them as
brothers.
Watch this space.
Health and safety review must
deliver safer workplaces
Health and safety at work has
been in the news for all the wrong
reasons recently, with the release
of the report into the Pike River
deaths finding that both the company and the Department of
Labour should have done much
more to prevent the tragic loss of
lives.
The CTU submission to the
Royal Commission argued for a
specialist health and safety agency,
a review of penalties and introduction of corporate manslaughter,
and much greater worker participation in health and safety including check inspectors in mines and
other high hazard sectors. The
CTU also submitted that the existing tripartite Workplace Health
and Safety Council be reconstituted as a statutory body, and
properly resourced, to undertake a
review and advisory role, engage
in the process of standard-setting
and recommending changes to
OHS standards, and promoting of
OHS education and training, and
to supervise the work of tripartite
industry committees.
The wider issues of health and
safety at work, and New Zealand’s
very bad record of workplace
death, injury and disease, are
being considered as part of an
independent review of health and
safety. Council of Trade Unions
Economist Dr Bill Rosenberg is a
member of the review and sat
down to talk with Express about
what we need to do to have safer
jobs.
“The CTU is very supportive of
this review,” said Bill Rosenberg.
“It’s an opportunity to have a thorough re-think of existing legislation. We have a dreadful record of
workplace safety in this country –
our injury rates are six times that
of the UK. There is a case to be
answered for the rates of injury,
disease and death in NZ.”
“The Pike River tragedy highlighted the problems, but we are
also witnessing a Pike River scale
tragedy in slow motion in the forestry industry, as another example
among too many,” said Bill.
The CTU is disappointed that
there is only one workers representative on the taskforce, but is
trusting that the government is
approaching the issue in good
faith. Bill said the international literature was clear that worker participation was very important in
improving health and safety outcomes, and improving the effectiveness of worker participation
was a top CTU objective for the
review.
Bill says that workers have a
right to safe work. “It is their life,
arms, legs, and health that are at
stake when work is not safe. We all
have a right to come home from
work safe every day.”
The review has established four
reference groups – academics,
employers, workers representatives and health and safety inspectors. They have held a series of
meetings around the country to
consult with communities about
their discussion paper, and organisations including FIRST Union are
making written submissions on
the paper. The taskforce will then
work on an options paper and
report to government with recommendations by 30 April 2013.
Bill says that the four reference
groups are demonstrating that
there is a high level of commonality on the issues that the review
needs to address, with increased
worker participation among them.
Bill Rosenberg encourages all
FIRST Union members (and all
workers, of course) to engage in
the process of this health and
safety review. And, more importantly, to educate ourselves and
take a more active role when it
comes to health and safety in their
workplace
Page 6
Union Express | December–2012
INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS
nWorld Day for Decent Work
424 events were held in 74 countries to
mark the World Day for Decent Work on 7
October – from Mogadishu to Vladivostock,
from New York City to Ramallah, union
members rallied to stand up for decent
work.
75 million young people are without jobs
across the world, many millions more are
trapped in informal or precarious work.
Youth unemployment is as high as 60% in
some countries, and a whole generation of
young people faces exclusion from the
labour market.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has been organising the World
Day for Decent Work (WDDW) since 2008.
INTERNATIONAL UNION MOVEMENT
www.firstunion.org.nz
NZ Workers stand up
for DHL Turkey
Over 200 First Union members at
New Zealand’s DHL Express
recently stopped work for 1 hour
in a series of meetings in solidarity with 20 employees from DHL
Turkey who have been sacked. At
the meetings, taking place over 4
different sites, members are also
signing a petition asking DHL to
recognise the Turkish union
TÜMTIS and reinstate the sacked
workers. Members from New
Zealand’s largest DHL Express
site, Highbrook, also posed for a
photo brandishing placards that
read “REINSTATE TÜMTIS 20”
in support of the sacked workers.
FIRST Union organiser Jared
Abbott said the New Zealand
workers were concerned by DHL’s
actions in Turkey and were happy
to help put pressure on the com-
pany to help their overseas counterparts.
FIRST Union will send the
signed petition to the company’s
headquarters. Over 100 signatures by New Zealand workers
have been collected.
The Turkish workers were dismissed for attempting to organise
a union. They also say that local
DHL management continues to
approach them individually telling them that they must resign
from the union or they will lose
their jobs. TÜMTIS has made
attempts to engage local management and seek a resolution to the
ongoing dismissals but so far to no
avail.
nUnions play important part in
Obama victory
US union members played an important
role in Barack Obama’s decisive victory in
the recent presidential election. The
AFL-CIO’s election night polling, found that
union members voted for Obama at a rate
of 65 percent to Romney’s 33. The rate was
even higher in key states like Ohio, where
70 percent of union members voted for
Obama.
Unions participated in door knocking and
phone calling for Obama, as well as
donating money to progressive candidates.
There was also a strong focus on talking to
non-unionised working people about the
election. Union leaders have described the
campaign as the biggest, smartest and
broadest campaign run by organised labour
in that country.
“REINSTATE TÜMTIS 20” say FIRST members at DHL
Hundreds killed in Bangladesh and Pakistan factory fires
n150,000 join anti-austerity march in
London
150,000 people participated in an
anti-austerity march on 20 October in
London, joined by thousands of others
taking part in marches in Glasgow and
Belfast.
The Trades Union Congress in the UK has
spearheaded the “A Future That Works”
campaign, against spending cuts and
austerity as the response to the global
recession. The campaign is calling on
investment in jobs, training and new
industries and for government to tackle the
growing inequality between the super-rich
and ordinary people.
Greek workers have held a 48 hour strike
against a further round of austerity cuts
which will be devastating to the poor in
that country.
nCoal miners win pay rise in South
Africa
Coal miners in South Africa have received a
pay offer of up to 5 percent for new workers
and cash payments for the higher paid, to
avoid wildcat strikes.
Strikes in the gold and platinum sectors
have led to over 50 deaths this year, mostly
in police shootings.
Unions representing coal miners
approached employers to seek ways to
strengthen collective bargaining and to
ensure stability in the sector.
Wage deals for South African miners have
stayed ahead of inflation in recent years,
but they came off a low base for what is
very dangerous work.
A spate of recent garment factory
fires have killed hundreds of
workers in recent months, raising
serious doubts about the safety
and working conditions in these
workplaces and whether workers
are able to escape in the event of a
fire or any other accident. The
fires have also highlighted the low
pay of these workers and about the
real cost of cheap clothes to countries like New Zealand.
The most recent fire at the
Tazreen Fashions factory in
Dhaka, Bangladesh killed over 100
workers. The Clean Clothes Campaign, along with trade unions and
labour rights organisations in
Bangladesh and around the world
is calling for immediate action
from international brands following the fire.
The killed and injured workers
were producing garments for international clothing brands when
their factory, Tazreen Fashions,
went up in flames. The Clean
Clothes Campaign believes that
international brands have shown
ongoing negligence in failing to
address the safety issues highlighted by previous fires, and that
this leaves them with responsibility for yet another tragic loss of
life.
Many of the workers jumped to
their deaths trying to escape from
the six story building, others, unable to escape the blaze, were
burned alive. The death toll continues to rise as rescue workers
plough through the remains of the
devastated factory. One fire fighter
at the scene reported that there
wasn’t a single fire exit on the outside of the factory. First reports
suggest the fire was started by an
electrical short circuit. The cause
of over 80% of all factory fires in
Bangladesh are due to faulty wiring.
“These brands have known for
years that many of the factories
they choose to work with are death
traps. Their failure to take action
amounts to criminal negligence”
says Ineke Zeldenrust from the
Clean Clothes Campaign.
The Clean Clothes Campaign is
calling for an independent and
transparent investigation into the
causes of the fire, for full and fair
compensation to be paid to the victims and their families and importantly concrete action from all
parties involved to prevent future
tragedies.
“As we yet again mourn the loss
of scores of garment workers in
Bangladesh, we demand that
brands step up their game. Tragedy
after tragedy underlines our belief
that simple, cosmetic changes to
existing programmes simply aren’t
enough. Action needs to be taken
to address the root causes of these
fires” said Ms Zeldenrust.
Two garment factories in Pakinstan burned down in mid September, killing hundreds of workers.
The fire at Ali Enterprises’ factory
in Karachi killed 289 people, and
the shoemaking factory fire in
Lahore killed 25 people. The fires
are considered to be the most
deadly and worst industrial factory
fires in Pakistan’s history.
In the factories, there are concerns about the use of child labour
and about whether doors were
locked and workers had access to
exits.
The fires have led to various
enquiries as to what took place in
these factories, and also widespread inspections of all factories
and industrial plants.
Union leaders have announced
that victims of the Karachi fire will
receive compensation from a discount German discount clothing
retailer. Nasir Mansoor, head of
the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) a union for Pakistani
factory workers said his organisation and the Clean Clothes Campaign, an international group
striving for better conditions for
gament workers, had pressured for
the compensation.
Two of the factory owners are
facing murder charges. Their
application for bail last week was
rejected and they were sent to jail
on remand.
Page
Page77
FIRST NEWS
Union
2012
UnionExpress
Express||December
December–2012
www.firstunion.org.nz
www.firstunion.org.nz
Taking a stand against family violence
Johnny Moko, from Bidvest
Foodservice in Porirua has
stepped up to lend his support
to the White Ribbon and It’s
Not Okay campaigns.
Johnny (first on the left in the
picture) represented FIRST Union
in a cross-union photoshoot
recently to create a poster of male
union members encouraging others to take a stand against family
violence. The poster will be circulated across worksites in New
Zealand.
It comes as FIRST Union ramps
up its involvement in the White
Ribbon campaign. White Ribbon
Day, 25 November, is the international day when people wear a
white ribbon to show that they do
not condone violence towards
women. In New Zealand most
violence by men against women
takes place in the home – with an
average of 14 women a year killed
by their partners or ex-partners.
White Ribbon Day celebrates
the many men willing to show
leadership and commitment to
promoting safe, healthy relationships within families and encourages men to challenge each other
on attitudes and behaviour that
are abusive.
At FIRST Union’s biennial conference recently, Colin Hildreth, a
national exec member who works
at Inghams Chicken, updated everyone on the union’s work on this
issue, including White Ribbon
material being sent out in a recent
delegates mailout across the union.
n WHITE RIBBON DAY: Johnny Moko, (at left) FIRST member at Bidvest, in a cross union lineup of men who say “it is not OK”
Johnny Moko and poster boys get ready to pose for photo
National Bank
to go: ANZ to
move to one
blue bank
ANZ made public the worst-kept secret in the finance industry at the end of September, that it will no longer operate as
the National Bank in New Zealand. As the union representing
bank workers, FIRST Union greeted the announcement by
saying that the ANZ needed to reassure the public that the
move is simply changing of a brand not the closure of a bank.
FIRST Union Finance Secretary Andrew Casidy said that
with increases in profit consistently into double figures the
ANZ and National banks are doing very well indeed off their
Kiwi customers and that no financial case could be made for
the cutting of one job as a result of this decision.”
“Nor can any business case be made for even the tiniest
reduction to services to communities, whether it be the number
of staff answering their phone calls or their access to a local
branch,” said Andrew Casidy.
Over the last year, FIRST Union has been seeking detailed
commitments from ANZ about protecting jobs and retaining
service, and Andrew Casidy said the time to make those commitments to their own staff and customers had come.
Andrew Casidy said the bank’s path to today’s announcements left a lot to be desired. “Customers have been kept in the
dark as have the bank’s own staff. For this merger to proceed
without significant damage to the bank’s reputation, the ANZ
have to lift their game.”
The bank’s marketing campaign around the change stated
that customers would be dealing with the same staff members,
and the announcement of the decision did commit to retain to
maintaining frontline staffing and even to opening some new
branches. Andrew Casidy said that the union would be holding
the bank to these assurances over coming months as the
changes roll out through the retail network.
CONFERENCE
Over 70 FIRST Union delegates from all around the country and all sectors of our union met in
Auckland in October for the biennial FIRST Union conference
2012
Page 10
Progressive/History
Union Express | December–2012
www.firstunion.org.nz
Fight back over Christchurch schools
Wayne Hawker addresses rally
When Education Minister Hekia
Parata announced plans to close
or merge many of Christchurch’s
schools on 13 September Wayne
Hawker knew he had to do something about it.
The next day the FIRST Union
member, who works as a baker in
a Shirley hot bread shop, swung
into action. He sent an email to the
local radio station saying he was
organising a protest rally.
The radio station announced his
message and people started
responding immediately. Wayne
soon found himself part of a team
of volunteers working to organise
the rally.
On Saturday, 21 September,
3500 people turned up at Hagley
netball courts to show their concern at the Government’s proposals.
“I see the Government’s plan as
an attack on our kids, and on our
communities,” Wayne said.
“Many of the schools they are
planning to close or merge are
smaller schools in lower socio
economic communities where the
school is the driving hub of the
community. If you take the school
away from these areas they lose
their whole identity.”
Wayne said the Ministry of Education based their proposals on
poor information.
“I was on the Board of Trustees
at the Phillipstown School for 17
years so I know it well. When the
Principal spoke to the Ministry
they said the school has a total of
17 buildings but only has 129 children so they should only have six
buildings,” he said.
“The Principal pointed out that
the Phillipstown School has a
technology centre that services
1200 pupils every week. It is the
largest technology centre of its
kind in New Zealand and has been
there for over a hundred years but
the Ministry apparently had no
record of it.”
Another example of the Ministry getting it wrong was at the
Burnside primary school where
the Ministry produced data saying
it had 50 buildings damaged by
the earthquakes but the school
only has 11 buildings.
Wayne is suspicious that the
Government is taking advantage
of the difficult situation in
Christchurch after the earthquakes to introduce charter
schools while local communities
are busy dealing with a lot of
issues at once.
“Charter schools are a way of
privatising education, so while the
existing proposals attack Canterbury, this is a fight for the rest of
New Zealand as well,” he said.
VOX POP : Delegates have their say...
“The Government is planning to introduce youth rates of only $10.80 an hour, below the minimum wage of $13.50, what do you think of this?”
Robbie Lammas;
Tappers Transport:
Paul Namana;
Contract Bottling Ltd:
Ioe Tavai;
Tridonic New Zealand Ltd:
Crap. They want young
people to do the same job
as anybody else; they
should get the same pay!
How do we expect to keep
young people in New Zealand
if we start by paying them at
undervalued rates? A worker is
a worker no matter what age.
Putting the youth wage down
to $10.80 would put the rest of
us out of work; or give us less
hours.
Karen Lowther;
Kmart Albany:
Warren Ngan Woo;
ANZ Lower Queen St
Dean Cole;
DHL Transport:
Outrageous and unacceptable. I’m speechless they
can even suggest it.
don’t think it is fair on the
youth of today. It is not a real
incentive for youth to get into
work.
Why should we have a youth rate
at all? Some of these 16 year olds
are bigger and more skilled in
technology than me. People
should be paid for the work
they do.
Hori Wharepapa;
Howick & Eastern Buses:
The government has failed to deliver
a quality of life in terms of wages. I
challenge anyone to live on that
amount as an independent youth
will have to! Where are the modern
apprenticeships to give them real job
skills?
Page 11
Union Express | December–2012
Community issues
www.firstunion.org.nz
UNEMIG launch
UNEMIG launch pushing work rights
and unionism for migrant workers
FIRST Union is leading the way
to defend the work rights of
migrant workers, with the launch
of our migrant network UNEMIG
in Auckland in August. FIRST
Union organiser Dennis Maga has
been working with migrant members of our union at developing a
network within FIRST and promoting the benefits of union
membership to migrants.
The UNEMIG launch was
organised by Migrante Aotearoa
New Zealand, a Filipino migrant
organisation and FIRST Union
and was attended by close to 100
people. The launch happily coincided with the New Zealand
Human Rights Diversity Forum.
The launch was also timely in light
of media stories of exploitation of
migrant workers, and cases FIRST
Union is pursuing of migrant
workers being ill-treated and
receiving less than their legal entitlements at work.
Speakers at the launch included
FIRST Union General Secretary
Robert Reid, Labour MP Rajen
Prasad and Agnes Granada from
the Migrant Action Trust. Many
migrant workers attended and
signed up to UNEMIG straight
away.
The network is being trialled by
FIRST with the support of the
Council of Trade Unions, and may
be extended to other unions. Key
amongst the problems the network
is seeking to address are the undermining of the minimum code of
employment for migrant workers
– including pay, sick and other
leave, hours of work and health
and safety. All too often this
exploitation occurs in small and
medium enterprises, and often
with employers from within their
own ethnic community.
Dennis says that migrant workers have problems accessing these
legal rights because of fear that if
they do approach the appropriate
authority whether it be govern-
ment, the Department of Labour,
Immigration New Zealand, that
they will lose their work or student
visa.
“This fear means that
migrant workers don’t want to rock
the boat in order to seek fairer
treatment.”
“FIRST Union is putting up a
concrete solution to migrant workers receiving below minimum
labour standards. We will sit down
with employers and remind them
of their obligations, and we are not
afraid to take things further. They
need to remember that they risk
losing the privilege of employing
migrant workers if they fail to
comply with our employment
laws.”
Dennis says that UNEMIG has
no confidence that the Department
of Labour has the resources to
undertake the inspections necessary to ensure that migrant workers in small and medium
enterprises are accessing their
legal rights, particularly in light of
UNEMIG launch
resource cuts in recent years to
that Department.
“Migrant workers are very positive about what we can achieve
through UNEMIG. We want to see
UNEMIG grow as a strong
migrant network within FIRST
Union, and to develop activists to
lead unionism in migrant communities.”
“All workers set to benefit from
migrant workers accessing their
rights at work. If migrant workers
are exploited that exploitation can
spread to Kiwi workers. Locals
will also lose job opportunities if
migrant workers are much cheaper
to employ than migrant workers.”
Dennis said there was a lot to be
done, but that a lot can be achieved
with the support of the wider
unions to improve the working
lives of migrants.
SWAP Workers Urged to take up Free Health Checks
It took more than 30 years to
achieve a free health service for
former sawmill workers affected
by toxic chemical exposure and
now the focus is on getting the
men to their health checks.
Sawmill Workers Against Poisons – a group of former sawmill
workers based in Whakatane have been campaigning since the
1980s to have it acknowledged
that a range of health problems
they face are directly caused by
exposure to chemicals during
their employment at the mills.
It has been a long hard road,
spanning from complete denial
from government and health officials, to the present day, in which
central and local government,
health officials and SWAP are
working together for the benefit of
the affected men and their families.
Such is their progress that
SWAP
spokesperson
Joe
Harawira, who is a long time
member of the NDU, was recently
awarded a well-earned Queen’s
Service Medal for the work he has
done. His achievement was celebrated at a special luncheon in
September, at which Mr Harawira
dedicated the accolade to everyone involved in the extensive campaign. At this celebration, a hashed
up film was shown to document
the emotional journey of SWAP
from its early beginnings to now.
From day one, it was never
about compensation or hefty pay-
outs for the former sawmill workers, it was instead about providing
them with free health care to assist
in their on-going quality of life.
But it was also about research
and data collecting, as it quickly
became obvious that it was not
only the men who had worked
with the chemicals suffering from
ill effects of exposure but their
partners, wives and children as
well. And so, the intergenerational
affects of PCP and other hazardous chemicals was discovered.
And that is why it is so
important for the former
workers to attend their free
health checks, because as well
as being able to monitor their
health, it is also a means of
collecting data about the
types of illnesses caused by
chemical exposure and creating a database of people who
could suffer ill effects in the
future.
Last year, a SWAP facilitation
service was established at Ngati
Awa Social and Health Services in
Whakatane, for which former
sawmill worker Kereama Akuhata
is the co-ordinator.
Getting people to the health
checks is an important focus of the
service at present.
Mr Akuhata said there had been
250 health checks carried out
since October last year but that
was really just the tip of the iceberg.
Whakatane doctor Graham Jelley is working specifically with
SWAP to carry out the checks,
which is initially only involving
the formers workers. All the information from the checks is entered
into a database to identify trends
and common health issues. Type 2
Diabetes is the most common illness so far, but also featuring
strongly are thyroid cancer,
melanoma, leukemia, soft tissue
sarcoma and spinal bone disease.
By establishing these trends and
collecting evidence, it will help
SWAP provide proof that their
health issues were caused by
exposure to the toxic chemicals,
while at the same time, collate a
database to monitor their health
conditions.
There are currently three outreach clinics in addition to the
main clinic in Whakatane – based
in Putararu, Ngongataha and
Mount Maunganui.
But so far the word doesn’t seem
to be getting out.
According to SWAP’s records
more than 3000 men worked at
mills in Whakatane, Tokoroa,
Rotorua and Tauranga between
the 1950s and 1980s.
“There must be a lot more out
there who haven’t signed up and
don’t realise there might be a problem waiting to happen,” Mr Akuhata said. “What we are not getting
are men from the 45-60 year age
group. We have a lot of the older
guys who have come forward,
the over 65 year olds, but the
younger guys are probably still
pretty well. They might not
seem to think there is a worry.
But we now know that the
affects of these chemicals can go
through seven generations.
“One expert said we might not
see it in the first or second generation but you will definitely
see it in the third. We just lost
another one the other day – he
wasn’t even 40. He was a worker
himself and the son of a worker,”
Mr Akuhata said.
“The idea of the database is that
if a person whose parent or grandparent or great grandparent was a
former sawmill worker, a red flag
with come up if that person see’s
their GP, which could assist in the
prevention of some conditions
through early intervention or
health supplements,” he said.
SWAP wants to make it as easy
as possible for people to get to one
of their clinics and they are happy
to offer transport to anyone who is
unable to get themselves there.
“We will even bring people over
from Tokoroa – we want everyone
to take part,” Mr Akuhata said.
In addition to facilitating the
free health checks, SWAP also
offers a range of other services to
former mill workers, including
advocacy and assistance with government agencies such as Work
and Income and ACC.
Anyone wanting to contact
SWAP can call 0800288588 or
073060096.
Whakatane Boardmill wood
prep operator and First Union delegate Rua Williams said the wood
sector had long been involved with
SWAP and their fight for recognition and subsequent health care.
“Many of the SWAP members
are union members and we have
played a major part in attaining
materials for the bioremediation
trial that was carried out at a site
identified as having received contaminated sawmill waste,” Mr
Williams said.
“And of course we have supported the cause out of concern for
the health and safety and well
being of the workers,” he said.
“FIRST Union continues to support SWAP in the on-going remediation of the 30-odd contaminated
sites around Whakatane and
assisting workers and their families with their health and the intergenerational concerns they may
face.”
Page 12
Union Express | December–2012
UNION BUSINESS
www.firstunion.org.nz
FIRST Union women leading the way
Joan Foley with members of the FIRST Union women’s network
35 FIRST Union delegates met
before the biennial conference in
October for an inspiring and educational women’s conference.
The women delegates discussed
the impact of the global financial
crisis on employment, education,
health and housing and welfare.
Similar themes emerged from
each group – that while the recession was being used to justify cuts
to spending and privatisation,
these cuts were proving harmful
to New Zealanders and would be
more expensive in the long run.
The conference also talked
about the campaign for more paid
parental leave. FIRST Union has
been an active member of the 26
for Babies coalition (along with
organisations
like
Plunket,
Parents
Centres
and
the
Breastfeeding Authority) working
to promote the benefits of paid
parental leave and to support a bill
promoted by Labour MP Sue
Moroney, which would see paid
parental leave extended from the
What to do
if your boss
asks you not
to join a union.
current 14 to 26 weeks. Benefits of
longer paid parental leave, include
supporting breastfeeding, bonding with baby and keeping mums
connected to the workforce.
FIRST Union women analysed
what the four planks of the decent
work agenda (jobs for all, safe
work, a living wage, and secure
work) mean for women workers.
The decent work agenda for
women incorporates issues such
as the need for quality free childcare, flexible working arrange-
ments, and the need to close the
gender pay gap which means that
men earn more per hour worked
than women. Women delegates
shared their thoughts on decent
work for women as part of the network report to the main conference.
The conference also re-elected
Joan Foley from Countdown
Upper Hutt as the Women’s Representative on the National Executive. Congratulations Joan! Joan
said as part of her address to the
Most employers FIRST Union has a relationship
with respect their workers’ right to join the union
and engage with us constructively. However, occasionally a boss will ask people not to join the union.
This may occur at any stage before or during the
course of your employment, it is important to
remember that this is completely unlawful. The
right of a worker to join a union is protected by both
New Zealand and international law.
Joining a union is a basic and clearly defined right,
so if a boss asks you not to join a union you should
feel confident that the law is behind you. A worker’s
right to join a union is the result of a history of hard
won struggle and unions are keen to protect and
assert it. If you are coming under pressure to leave
our union, tell your boss calmly and politely that you
will make your own decision in relation to union
membership. You should then speak to your delegate
and contact FIRST Union for support. Occasionally
members are told that if they are union members they
cannot receive particular conditions, benefits or work
biennial conference “We want the
women of Aotearoa strong. Able
to say no to the bosses. Able to
stand up for themselves. Able to
be safe. And able not to say sorry.
Let us all strive for the betterment
of women at the workplace and at
home.”
and must leave the union to achieve this. The vast
majority of occasions this is untrue and if this happens to you please contact the Membership Support
Centre to discuss the matter.
Employers who pressure their workers not to join
unions can receive legal penalties (similar to fines)
and it is most likely that the prospect of such penalties
will be enough to get an employer to back away.
Again, if a confrontation with your boss over the matter of union membership is needed, approach your
union for help. Unions are well equipped to stand up
for their members’ rights and, if necessary, they can
provide valuable information to your employer
regarding your right to join a union. If you are not
comfortable confronting your boss over the issue,
just remember that joining or remaining a member of
a union is your personal right. You can be a union
member without having to disclose it to your boss.
The union will still protect your rights as a worker
even if your boss does not know or approve of your
membership.
Page 13
Union Express | December–2012
UNION BUSINESS
www.firstunion.org.nz
FIRST Fono out campaigning in
Glenfield and taking action on loan sharks
FIRST Union Pasefika Fono was only one of a number of community
organisations out meeting locals at a recent community event in Glenfield – Glenfied the Amazing Place.
The Fono stall provided locals with union information, material on
how to access budgeting advice, United Credit Union leaflets and two
campaign petitions – the Keep Our Assets petition and the Fono petition
against loan sharks.
Terry and Sio had good talks with locals about how unions work, the
laws that affect workers, and the different campaigns we support and
why.
“We were impressed by both the event organisation and the different
community groups attending,” said FIRST Union organiser Terry Tuiletufuga. “A number of people took union sign up forms away and we had
a number of good conversations about the benefits to families of workers
joining the union.
“It was great to get out in the community to engage and educate,” said
Terry. “Thanks to the community of Glenfield for having us.”
The Fono continues to be very active on the issue of loan sharks exploiting Pasefika communities. The Fono wants an interest cap on loans to
prevent interest rates in the several hundred percent, and stronger legislation to protect consumers.
Terry said the Fono is unhappy with the government’s plans to shelve
action on loan sharks till next year. “We will be escalating our campaign
and putting more pressure on government to take action now.”
Sio and Terry from the FIRST Union Fono
Three new faces at FIRST Central
New at FIRST: Joe Kelly, Gayaal Iddmalgogoda and Liz Sayers
The central region FIRST Union
team in Wellington have been
joined by three new staff members – two finance sector organisers and a new legal organiser.
Legal organiser Gayaal Iddmalgoda joins FIRST Union from
Dunedin, where he was volunteering giving legal advice for
Unite union, and was also a junior
barrister in the field of criminal
law. Gayaal jumped at the chance
to do the work he’d given his time
to do for free in a paid capacity at
FIRST Union, and says “I’m very
proud of the work I do every day.”
Liz Sayers comes to her work as
a finance sector organiser after 13
years working in sales and service
representative work for the
National Bank – and 13 years as a
union delegate. Liz says moving
into organising work felt like a
natural progression from her delegate role, and is enjoying a new
level of job satisfaction as a union
organiser.
New finance sector organiser
Joe Kelly was previously a therapist at the Department of Corrections, and has been an active
union delegate both here and in
the UK. He says the lure to moving to a paid role in a union came
when he realised that “ being a
good delegate became the best
part of my job” and that he wanted
to help build the union full time.
Joe and Liz say that finance sector workers are in the midst of
challenging times, but one
strength is that these workers
know their worth and value.
“They know how much banks
make and how much they earn for
the bank,” said Joe.
“Our members know they
should have a fairer share of the
profits –priority should be given
to staff, not shareholders, ” said
Liz.
FIRST Union support
for anti-child poverty
campaign
FIRST Union staff collected over $500 for the recent Campbell Live
Lunchbox Day to help feed hungry school children, as part of their investigations into child poverty.
FIRST Union General Secretary Robert Reid wrote to presenter John
Campbell, his team and TV3 to congratulate them for taking up the issues
of inequality and child poverty.
Robert’s letter went on to say:
“As a trade union, especially for low waged workers, our entire existence is devoted to ensuring that workers are paid enough to enable them
and their families to have a decent life.
Unfortunately we seem to be engaged in a losing fight.
While we are able to get most of our members over the $15 / hour rate,
this is still not enough to house, clothe and feed an family. And what
about those who are on the pitiful minimum wage of $13.50 and with
casual or unpredictable hours as well.
While Fonterra pays its outgoing CEO an $8 million exit package for 8
years work (on top of the multi-million dollar pay that he received while
working there) thousands of NZ families cannot afford milk or other
basic necessities to feed their children.”
Robert Reid concluded that the solution “is to wake up the government
which is asleep at the wheel, before the country crashes into more poverty
and destitution.”
Page 14
Union Express | December–2012
PERSPECTIVES
www.firstunion.org.nz
Waihi strike and murder remind
us of health and safety struggle
From the GENERAL SECRETARY–Robert Reid
O
n 12 November 1912,
Waihi stationary engine
driver and Miners Union
member, Fredrick George Evans,
was murdered by police defending the Miners Hall in the middle
of a bitter strike in Waihi.
On the weekend of 10/11
November 2012, a group of unionists, community members and
labour historians gathered in
Waihi to commemorate the strike
and the death of F G Evans.
A number of the talks at the
commemoration linked the Waihi
strike to the campaign of miners
and other workers at the time for
safer working conditions. We
learnt that a Royal Commission on
mine safety and working conditions had been established in 1911
and reported in 1912.
We reflected on how little had
changed with the deaths of the 29
Pike River Miners occurring
almost exactly two years ago on 19
November 2010 and a Royal Commission from that tragedy just
reporting now.
That Royal Commission has
been damning of New Zealand
mining and especially Pike River
health and safety regulations and
systems.
Workers are still injured and
killed at work. New Zealand has
one of the highest rates of workplace injury and death in the western world.
As FIRST Union we know that
we have a Pike River (29 deaths) in
the forest industry every 5-6 years.
We also know that we have an
even greater number of deaths of
professional drivers on the road.
There has been an average of
around 100 truck related deaths
per year on New Zealand roads
over the last few years.
As well as the Royal Commission on Pike River, an “Independent Task Force on Workplace
Health and Safety” has been established by the Government. Members of our union have been to the
consultation meetings and we will
be making a written submission to
the Taskforce.
It is time that the New Zealand
Health and Safety was turned on
its head. Health and Safety should
be a system that empowers workers to ensure that they work in a
healthy and safe work environment. The current system is sim-
A
has made
“Andrew
an enormous
contribution to the
union movement
”
Waihi commemoration of murder of F.G. Evans
ply another form of company accidents away from the employer
control over workers, placing the on to the worker and that workers
blame on workers for all accidents are punished for reporting acciand preventing workers’ access to dents and near misses.
We also note the hypocrisy of
their full entitlements if they are in
the unfortunate situation of being many employers undertaking random drug and alcohol tests in the
the victim of an accident.
Many of our employers proudly name of safety while turning a
proclaim on their websites and let- blind eye or even promoting proterheads that, “Health and Safety duction, distribution and finance
is our number one priority”. But systems that cause fatigue and
we know that these safety systems stress that have similar physiologiare designed to shift the blame for cal effects on our bodies.
FIRST Union has adopted the
Decent Work Programme as part
of its strategic plan for the next
four years. Work safety in a key
part of Decent Work. We will be
doing what we can to ensure that
we build a health and safety system that protects workers and that
we learn from Waihi, Pike River
and the ongoing struggle of working people over the last 100 years
for a decent, healthy and safe
working environment.
Farewell to Finance Secretary Andrew Casidy
fter nearly thirty years
working in the finance
sector, and nearly twenty
five years working for the union,
it really is the end of an era this
month with Finance Sector Secretary Andrew Casidy leaving
FIRST Union to take up a new
role at NZEI Te Riu Roa.
Andrew started working for the
National Bank in Tokoroa in 1983
and less than five years later
moved to Wellington as an Industrial Officer in the–then Bank
Officers Union. He also served his
time in the South, running the
union office in Dunedin and working with members in Otago and
Southland. In the mid to late 90s
he returned to Wellington in a
national organiser role, and then
eventually rose to General Secretary of Finsec in 2002. Upon last
year’s merger with the National
Distribution Union, Andrew took
on the role of Finance Sector Secretary of FIRST Union.
Andrew witnessed a massive
change in the finance sector over
that time. “When I joined the bank,
achieved decade on decade.”
banking was a career that had
In more senior roles, it was makrespect from people, banks themselves were respected. Whilst ing sure that the union focussed on
profit was still important, the rela- organising and campaigning that
he says has ensured bank workers
tionship with the customer was
pay has stayed well about average.
more important, and that was the
kind of banking that I enjoyed. “We can leverage off the bad
behaviours of our employers, use
Move forward nearly thirty years
and we’ve got effectively the com- public probation of them to push
them to do things that they
plete opposite,” he says.
Andrew says short term goals wouldn’t otherwise do. That is the
success of both organising and
and objectives now drive the
industry and that for staff working campaigning. It’s getting your
members to say this is our union,
in the banks, profit generation has
become the primary focus of their these are our rights and we will
use whatever tools we have to to
jobs. “There’s been a fundamental
stand up for them. And I’m conshift – to the detriment of both
vinced that without having done
staff and customers.”
that throughout the 2000s we
When asked to identify some of
his big achievements in his vari- probably wouldn’t be a unionised
sector today so I’m really proud of
ous union roles, Andrew thinks of
that.”
his time bargaining collective
Andrew is going to miss the
agreements. “We achieved good
changes to terms and conditions, finance sector focus but most of all
such as the fourth week of annual
the people and friends of long
leave years before the law changed, standing he has made, both from
domestic leave as a seperate enti- fellow paid staff and from elected
tlement, pay rises for the most part
officials. He pays particular tribabove the rate of inflation, which
ute to former Finsec president Sue
no other occupational group has
Boraston, who passed away in
2007 and was a big influence on
him.
Andrew Casidy is leaving FIRST
Union to take on the new challenge of General Manager of
Membership at primary and ECE
teachers union NZEI. His role will
focus on administrative, member
advisory, systems resources and
processes of the second largest
union in New Zealand.
“The education sector is another
one of those areas where I will get
to go to work every day knowing
what I do is important because of
my own experiences being a parent and as a Board of Trustees
member but also because I recognise that sector as coming under
threat and attack globally now. So
it’s good to have an opportunity to
stand up and fight for the rights of
our kids to a high quality education.”
Andrew has made an enormous
contribution to the union movement in his long service in our
union and its predecessors, and we
wish him well for his new role at
NZEI.
Page 15
OUTSIDE WORK
Union Express | December–2012
www.firstunion.org.nz
Playing with fire
NOT AT WORK
W
hether its in her day job, as a baker at Pak & Save Sylvia Park,
or in her evening hobby as a fire dancer, it’s safe to say that
FIRST Union delegate Kelly Levet has no problem being
around high temperatures!
For those not in the know about fire dancing, think about a kapahaka
group dancing with their poi. Now, imagine the poi are wrapped in Kevlar, doused in kerosene and set on fire! This gives you a sense of what fire
dancers do for fun and for others entertainment.
Some also use staffs, which are more like broomsticks, and the use of
LED lights is also popular.
Kelly started fire dancing about three years ago, as her now husband is
a convert and she thought she would give it a go.
Tuesday nights from spring through to mid autumn are spent at Mt
Eden’s Tahaki Reserve. “There’s a great atmosphere there,” says Kelly.
“People will be jamming, there might be drummers, and the combination
of the fire, light and music is just amazing.”
While Kelly has managed to avoid so much as an eyebrow singe, she
says that the danger of playing with fire is definitely part of the attraction
to fire dancing, and that she knows many people who have suffered burns
as part of their hobby. “Safety is a priority, especially wearing the right
clothing to protect yourself. No nylon or other flammable fabrics, cotton
and denim are much better choices as they don’t ignite as quickly.”
Kelly is also drawn to the group atmosphere at Fire and Glow nights,
and the mix of people who participate. “There’s everyone – from the
hippy types to, dare I say it, uptight business people and mellow students.
There are fire dancers not just all round New Zealand but all over the
world.”
While there are some set routines, most dances are improvised, and the
playing and mucking around is all part of the fun of fire dancing.
And if you’re keen to give fire dancing a try yourself, and you’re in
Auckland, look up Auckland Glow and Fire Nights on Facebook for more
information. Or, as Kelly says, cruise along to Tahaki Reserve around
7pm on a Tuesday night this summer and give it a go!
n SLANE’S VIEW: By Chris Slane
LETTERS &
Sending Artwork
SMO | KO | DU SUDOKU (Difficult)
Each row
contains
the number
1 to 9, each
column must
contain the
numbers 1
to 9 and each
set of 3 x 3
boxes must
contain the
numbers 1
to 9.
Solution at: http://www.sudokutoday.com/difficult-sudoku-puzzle-i320.html answers.html
ACC ISSUES?
0800 4 UNION
Contributions and artwork
Your letters are welcome. Please keep them brief and no more than
200 words long. Include your name, home address and daytime
contact number. Letters are acknowledged and may be edited for
length. Emails are also welcome and must include the information
above.
Address letters to: Letters to the Editor, Private Bag 92 904, Onehunga
Auckland or email: [email protected]
Not the best writer but got something to say? Why not dictate
your idea over the phone? Call 09 622 8439 or txt 021 856 074 for a
call back.
FIRST Member
Support Centre
0800 863 477
(0800 486 466)
protecting
the underdog
FIRST Union’s member support centre is your first
port of call. Centre staff work closely with organisers
and are able to answer enquiries regarding your
workplace issues and your collective agreements.
Before calling your organiser,
ring the Member Support Centre first.
The Workplace Injury Advocacy Service can help you
access your ACC entitlements, prepare and provide support
for an ACC meeting, and a safe return to work
Page 16
Union Express | December–2012
Our union. Our people
www.firstunion.org.nz
United Credit Union.
Anna Kenny addresses the FIRST Union Women’s forum
Anna Kenny, formerly with the Engineers Union (EPMU) took up a new role in United Credit Union.
FIRST Union has a relationship with UCU to ensure our membership have access to finance from
a fair and ethical organisation. She talks about her work there and what attracted her to join.
UNEMIG formed
“FIRST Union is
putting up
a concrete
solution to
migrant
workers
receiving below
minimum labour
standards.”
(see article page 11)
“Quite a few years ago I was introduced to the United Credit Union by a workmate who had
been at New Zealand Post. The United Credit Union used to be called the Post Office Investment Society. It was set up in 1938 by union members for the benefit of union members. I really
like that idea. Often as workers we are demanding stuff (quite rightly so!). Here was something
we do for us, ourselves.
Some time ago our workplace based credit union changed its name to ‘United Credit Union’.
Today most of the members of the United Credit Union are union members from workplaces all
over New Zealand from many unions. It really is a ‘United’ Credit Union. That’s really a great
draw card for me, to be working across many worksites with many unions and many workers
growing a network of workplace contacts to raise awareness about our Credit Union. Mega
organising around a mega campaign to build an even bigger worker owned financial Institution.
Facilitating the ‘people helping people’ is a huge attraction. Our member savers earn interest,
our member borrowers get fair rates and become savers as they pay their loans off. Every borrower of the United Credit Union is becomes a saver. It’s part of the deal when you join. For me
personally, there is huge satisfaction in having a job that can influence worker debt relief.
Back when I joined as a member, I found out that members of the United Credit Union could
borrow money at fair interest rates, often cheaper than the banks, and much lower than finance
companies. You could save money with the United Credit Union too, and earn competitive
interest on the savings. So I joined.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my United Credit Union welcome pack back in 2001 and
it turned out that I was a shareholder who could have a say in the way our United Credit Union
operates! That was very cool.
As a Union Organiser and collective agreement negotiator with the union I had always been
really conscious of the number of union members who struggle with personal finances.
We have union members who are really hurting and under tremendous financial pressure
with high debt driven by high interest rates. I call it ‘difficult debt’. When you have it is very real
and it’s not nice. Lots of people in this situation are depressed and sad and really struggle to get
their lives back. I know from personal experience that difficult debt can be dumped.
When I was a union organiser with the EPMU I looked at various ways of raising awareness
of the United Credit Union. One way was to negotiate United Credit Union deduction clauses
into collective agreements. By setting up easy safe ways for workers to save money or repay
loans directly from their workplace pay site to the United Credit Union, we can make access to
fair finance even more achievable. So many good union members are caught by loan sharks and
high interest credit cards and the like.
I have had a super start in this job with over 250 workplace contacts signed up across several
unions in the last ten weeks. It’s very exciting to know we can make a real difference raising
awareness and joining up workers to the United Credit Union. This new job is about putting
people power into action. People joining, people providing fair finance rates, getting into saving, becoming money wise, consolidating debt and dumping it altogether. Every worker we
rescue from the loan sharks is a win. I invite you to visit our web site www.ucu.co.nz and join
the United Credit Union, a worker led debt liberation movement!
United Credit Union forms can be downloaded from our site or sent to you, You can call our
office between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday on 0800 800143 for more information.
Since I started work at the United Credit Union, the big banks have been announcing huge
profits. Those profits have been described in the news as coming out of the New Zealand economy. The reality is that great chunks have come out of workers’ pay. Every time a credit card is
not paid off in full, another whack of interest gets paid to the bank, often calculated on the full
loan amount even if there has been a part repayment made. Lots of credit card users don’t know
this.”