NZCTU Welcomes Labour Protection Advances Through NZ/EU FTA

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions has today welcomed the Free Trade Agreement established between New Zealand and the European Union says President Richard Wagstaff.

"The Agreement includes a number of welcome steps to make trade more inclusive, with legally enforceable commitments on climate, the environment, and gender equality. The commitment to ensuring that public procurement can take into account environmental, social, and labour considerations is very pleasing.

"It is of particular note that the FTA creates a pathway to New Zealand signing the fundamental ILO conventions which we have not yet signed. We now want the government to signal the exact timetable for signing these conventions, and their enforcement. The CTU is looking forward to working with the government in this area, and through the two new Fora established by the FTA so that the agreement meets the aspirations of New Zealand workers.

"The CTU is looking forward to seeing the final text of the agreement, and to working with the Government on the National Interest Test Analysis. It is essential that this FTA demonstrates that it will improve employment opportunities in New Zealand, and that a distributional analysis of this agreement is delivered," says Richard Wagstaff.

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