MEDIA RELEASE
14 October 2003
Unionists to Gather for Biennial Conference
Around 300 trade unionists from around the country arrive in Wellington next week for the New Zealand Council of Trade
Unions Biennial Conference.
The CTU's eighth biennial conference takes place at the Michael Fowler Centre on October 22, 23, and 24.
The theme is A Strong Voice for Working People. The CTU's 34 affiliated unions, representing around 300,000 workers,
will attend.
The Minister of Labour, Margaret Wilson will open the conference with a speech entitled "The common purpose: the
Employment Relations Act and the Health & Safety in Employment Act."
This speech will include a briefing on the Government's review of the Employment Relations Act.
Day one of the conference will focus on workplace health and safety. A keynote speaker will be the national health and
safety director of the Canadian Auto Workers Union, Cathy Walker.
Guy Ryder, the general secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and Sharan Burrow, the
president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, will take part in a panel discussion on globalisation on the last
day of the conference.
ENDS
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
A strong voice for working people
Eighth Biennial Conference
22,23 & 24 October 2003
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Day 1 Wednesday 22 October
"Unions Talking Health & Safety"
8.30am Registration
9am Powhiri
9.30am Minister of Labour Margaret Wilson: Opening Address
"The common purpose: the Employment Relations Act and the Health & Safety in Employment Act"
- Linking the HSE & ERA
- Good faith
- ERA amendments
CTU President Ross Wilson "Achievements of the "Unions talking Health & Safety' campaign"
10.45 Morning Tea
11.00 - 12-00pm Workshops. (CLOSED TO THE MEDIA)
12.00 - 12.30 The CTU/ACC Training Partnership
* Darrin Goulding General Manager Injury Prevention ACC: "The CTU-ACC partnership"
* H Reps Panel: Training experiences
12.30 - 1.30 Lunch break (lunches not provided)
1.30 Keynote speaker:
Cathy Walker, National Health & Safety Director, Canadian Auto Workers Union
2.00 Presentations: hot issues
--½ Stress & Fatigue
--½ Work/Life Balance
--½ Alcohol and other drugs
--½ Hidden hazards: occupational disease
3pm Human Rights Commission Survey
3.15 Afternoon Tea
3.30 Sector workshops (CLOSED TO THE MEDIA)
4.30 Caucus meetings (CLOSED TO THE MEDIA)
5.30 Day one ends
6.30 Parliamentary Reception at Parliament for all delegates hosted by Minister of Labour
Day 2 Thursday 23rd October
9.00 Conference begins
Karakia
Session One
Opening Address: CTU President
--¨Procedural matters
--¨Election of returning officers and scrutineers
--¨Minutes of 2001 Biennial Conference
--¨Secretary's report and discussion
--¨Finance report
--¨Election of Trustees
--¨Economic overview
--¨Introduce remits
10.30 Morning Tea
10.45 "Unions talking Health & Safety"
- Key points from workshops
- Paper: Workplace Health & Safety
Election of Officers
Remits
11.30 - 12 noon Prime Minister Helen Clark
12 - 1pm Lunch break
Session Two:
1 - 3.00pm Re-building Unionism
Strategic Review Report: organising plus
- Carol Beaumont, CTU secretary.
Case study presentations by union/organiser trainees
Strategic Review Report (continued)
Remits & discussion
3 - 3.15pm Afternoon Tea
Session Three:
3.15 - 6.00 Celebrating Diversity
Introduction: CTU Vice President
Panel on Treaty-based union structures
Runanga report
Remits from Runanga Hui
Womens Council Report
Komiti Pasefika Report
Youth Union Movement Report
Out @ Work
Remits
6 - 7.30pm Drinks at CTU Level 7, Education House,
178 Willis Street
Day 3 Friday 24th October
9am Karakia
Session Four:
A strong voice for working people:
Unions and Government
Presentation on achievements:
- Economic development
- PPL
- Industry Training
- Holidays
- & others
New Challenges:
- Work/life balance
- Report presented by Carol Beaumont
- Pay & Employment Equity
- Report presented by Helen Kelly
- Social partnership
- Report presented by Ross Wilson
Remits and discussion
10.45 Morning Tea
11.00 Conference re-convenes:
Remits and other business
12.00 - 1.00 Lunch break
Session Five:
1.00 Globalisation:
the challenges for unions in a changing world
Guy Ryder General Secretary ICFTU
Panel:
Sharan Burrow President ACTU & ICFTU-APRO
Peter Conway CTU Economist
2pm Conference Resolution
3pm Poroporoaki