Unionists to Gather for Biennial Conference

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&S 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

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