09 November 2005
CTU Calls On Business NZ To Get Real About Wages
The Council of Trade Unions is challenging Business New Zealand to get real about wages, CTU President Ross Wilson said
today.
"Businesses all acknowledge that their top challenge right now is skills shortages, yet they lament any changes to the
attractiveness of working conditions through wage increases."
"There have been skills shortages for 3 years," said Ross Wilson. "Only the 2004 amendments to the Employment Relations
Act and strong union campaigning in 2005 have made the difference in moving the New Zealand labour market out of the low
wage trough we are in."
"The union movement will continue to challenge the business community to think again, and to sit down and work through
wages strategies on an industry by industry basis, as part of the productivity and industry development work," said Ross
Wilson.
ENDS