Decent Work New Zealand
Towards Decent Work - Charting our progress

Increase union density and the extent of collective bargaining in the aged care and disability sectors in order to improve wages

The NZCTU works with the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU) and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) to improve wages and employment conditions in the aged care sector through collective agreements.  The unions are jointly co-ordinating the Fair Share for Aged Care campaign.  The NZCTU also works with the Public Service Association (PSA) and the SFWU in their campaign to improve wages and conditions for disability sector care workers through a focus on increasing coverage of collective agreements.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 20, 21

Advocacy on protection of children at work

The NZCTU seeks New Zealand’s ratification of ILO Convention 138 – Minimum Age Convention, 1973, enabling the removal of New Zealand’s reservation against the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) Article 32, paragraph 2 in a manner that is consistent with the concept of Decent Work as applied in New Zealand conditions.  The NZCTU also liaises with Action on Child and Youth Aotearoa (ACYA), Caritas, Child Poverty Action Group, Every Child Counts and other relevant community organisations to develop a code of best practice for child employment.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

3, 4, 8

Calling for ratification of and compliance with ILO Conventions

The NZCTU calls for ratification of relevant ILO Conventions, and improvements to current legislation and policy so they are in line with ratified conventions.  The NZCTU liaises with affiliated unions to monitor compliance with ILO Conventions that NZ has ratified.  The NZCTU reports to Government and the ILO on this compliance.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

3, 4, 19

Providing a worker perspective on the incorporation of labour standards in trade agreements

The NZCTU provides the Government with information on international labour practices and contributes to discussions with the Government on labour aspects of possible trade agreements, including direct reference to ILO core labour standards.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

4, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Calling for extension of paid parental leave and family-friendly policies

The NZCTU monitors the provision, and advocates for extended application, of paid parental leave and breast feeding breaks so that New Zealand can comply with ILO Convention 183 – Maternity Protection, 2000.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 16

Campaigning for and providing training on pay and employment equity

NZCTU-affiliated unions participate in and lead training around pay equity reviews and pay investigations in the core public sector, public health and education sectors.  A focus on pay and employment equity in the local government sector has just commenced as part of Phase 2 of the Pay and Employment Equity Plan of Action.  The NZCTU also comments on gender pay gaps, makes submissions on gender equity and reviews trends in the gender pay gap.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

9, 11, 12

Memorandum of understanding with the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs

The NZCTU has a memorandum of understanding with the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs outlining the basis for co-operation to promote training and employment opportunities for young people.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 18, 20, 21

Learning Representatives  Project

The Learning Representative Programme is a NZCTU-run project funded by the Tertiary Education Commission to enhance worker participation in learning and increase skills.  The Project has completed its first phase with a strong initial focus on foundation skills and literacy and a longer-term focus on quality jobs and design of work.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 6, 13, 14, 18, 20

Workplace Productivity Education Project

The NZCTU’s Workplace Productivity Education Project is designed to enhance productivity in New Zealand. Workshops have been run since October 2006, with more than 1500 participants attending from unions and sectors including banking and finance, food processing, engineering and manufacturing, saw milling, building and construction, tertiary education, rail and ports, air transport and other infrastructure, retail, health, central and local government.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 6, 13, 14, 18, 20

Unions working to improve workers’ wages and conditions

Unions engage in collective bargaining for existing members and also work to re-unionise the workforce to increase the number of workers covered by collective agreements.  The NZCTU supports affiliates’ wages campaigns.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

10, 12, 13, 18

Campaigning for improvements to work/life balance

Unions and the NZCTU campaign for improvements to hours of work, breaks, leave and other conditions through collective bargaining and discussions with the Department of Labour on improvements to the minimum code.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

10, 12, 14, 16, 19

Campaigning to improve conditions of work for mothers

Through advocacy and awareness-raising, the NZCTU is campaigning for improvements to conditions of work for mothers, such as breastfeeding breaks, via legislation and through collective agreements.  The NZCTU also trains union delegates to help them raise these issues with employers.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

6, 9, 12, 18

Managing the effects of redundancies and company changes on workers

The NZCTU works with businesses and Government to help manage the effects of redundancies and company changes.  It advocates for greater use of active labour market policy and is participating at a tripartite level in the development of “security in change” initiatives.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

8, 11, 12, 18, 19

Health and safety education and training

The NZCTU raises awareness amongst unions and their members about workers’ rights to participate in injury prevention management. The NZCTU provides three levels of health and safety representative training, with over 20,000 representatives now trained.  Additional targeted training is undertaken with companies involved in the ACC Partnership Programme.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

6, 11, 12, 15, 18, 20

Union guidance/worker perspective on health and safety issues

The NZCTU provides guidance and a worker perspective on health and safety issues through such activities as submitting to ACC on shift-work fatigue as a hazard; contributing to occupational safety and health guidelines; and participating in a number of heath and safety fora and advisory groups including The Health and Safety Council and the ACC Ministerial Advisory Group.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

15, 18, 19, 20

Advocacy service for injured workers

The NZCTU offers a national phone-based advocacy service that provides union members with advice on ACC entitlements and injury management.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

2, 11, 15, 18, 20

Representation and input on migrant worker issues

The NZCTU, union affiliates and the CTU Komiti Pasefika network also discuss ways to strengthen worker rights in Pacific nations and participate in forums on Pacific Labour Market activities.  The NZCTU has also launched a specific migrant worker project to develop resources for, and promote the rights of, migrant workers.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

3, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Older workers

The NZCTU liaises with the Retirement Commission, Human Rights Commission and other government agencies and non-government agencies on issues affecting older workers including part-time work options, retirement income and access to the health system.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

6, 8, 9, 19, 20, 21

Public Service Association Partnership for Quality and Public Service Tripartite Forum

The Public Service Association has entered its third quality agreement with the Government.  The Public Service Tripartite Forum allows regular meetings between union members to discuss key workplace issues and processes.

Public Service Association

12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

Representation on the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board

The NZCTU is represented on the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board that advises the Prime Minister, Government and others on growth and innovation strategies.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 7, 10, 14, 20

Union advocacy and guidance on health workforce issues

The health sector unions have a Health Tripartite Forum and bipartite meetings with District Health Boards to help maintain constructive relationships and improve conditions of work for health sector workers.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

3, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21

Union participation in the governance of tertiary education institutions and industry training organisations

The NZCTU nominates union representatives to the councils of most tertiary education institutions and to most of the boards of industry training organisations.  There is also a NZCTU nominee on the board of the Industry Training Federation.  The purpose of this representation is to ensure that training providers are in touch with workers’ needs and that the diversity of potential trainees is reflected.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 6, 9, 19, 20, 21

Advocacy and raising awareness on quality flexible work

The NZCTU conducts research, advocacy and awareness-raising on the issue of quality flexible work.  Following the passing of legislation providing the right to request flexible work for those with caring responsibilities, the CTU will monitor its implementation and promote the extension of this right to all workers.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

9, 11, 14, 16

Retirement savings initiatives

The NZCTU promotes policies to support workplace retirement savings in both the public and private sector.  The NZCTU Kiwisaver campaign provides information about Kiwisaver.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

2, 19, 21

Industry development projects

The NZCTU runs projects in the forestry and food and beverage sectors and with Maori workers to increase worker participation in industry decision-making and develop improved industry standards.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21

Supporting decent work for disabled people

The CTU is working with the Department of Labour to ensure the successful removal minimum wage exemptions for disabled people working in business enterprises and is coordinating with disabled persons groups on the implementation of this new regime.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

8, 9, 10, 11

Kaimahi Maori - Maori Worker Education Project

An initiative of the NZCTU Runanga, this project that draws on Matauranga Maori - indigenous models of leadership and knowledge to promote skills development through participation in the union movement.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

6, 12, 18, 20, 21