Trans Tasman Unions Share Trade Concerns

“Union concerns about Government negotiations liberalising trade in public service industries are shared on both sides of the Tasman,” said Council of Trade Unions president Paul Goulter today. Unions meeting in Sydney this week agreed the General Agreement on Trade in Services (better known as GATS) negotiations poses a number of problems in education, health and other public services. Prime Minister Helen Clark has also raised concerns over the implications of the GATS.

Paul Goulter said Australian New Zealand unions planned a Trans Tasman Day of Action over the GATS in March 2003.

“Unions will be calling on our Government to back off the deadline of March 31 to forward New Zealand’s response or ‘offer’ on the issue to the WTO,” he said.

“The Day of Action will highlight the need for certain areas to be ring-fenced and also for a greater transparency in the Government’s negotiating position.”

Attending the Sydney meeting were union representatives from education, public broadcasting, telecommunications, postal services, local government, environmental services/water and aviation services from both sides of the Tasman.

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