Members of the National Government say the word productivity a lot. I certainly agree there is a need to lift our productivity as a nation. However I get annoyed that there is little real action and no focus at all on workplace productivity.
In fact the track record of this Government, including the recent announcements on extending the 90 Day No Rights provisions and limiting union access to workplaces, has taken a cost reduction approach to employment relations. Lifting employment standards and improving the quality of our workplaces doesn’t feature.
In my speech on the Prime Ministers Statement to Parliament in February I made the following comments :
Where is the government investment in industry and regional economic development? Where is the recognition that we need to lift the quality of workplaces – the wage rates, the work conditions, the quality of interaction. Productive employment relations. This Government sees workers and their rights as a cost to be reduced.
Look at the double speech in the PMs statement. Under the section on Better Regulation we have:
“Whether labour laws are imposing excessive costs on the country and holding back opportunities to create jobs”
Holidays and PGs not to mention union access to workplaces and collective bargaining. Remember what this meant last time and if we want to find reasons for the gap in income between Australia and NZ this is a good place to start.
Attacking workers rights and reducing current standards will not encourage the motivated workforce we need. Failing to invest in improving skills in our workplace will similarly not provide for a motivated workforce able to work smarter. There were no new initiatives in the area of workplace learning in the Budget. In fact under the Labour portfolio we see money moved from the Skills area to a completely different area of work. The Skills Forum spoken about very positively by the Prime Minister at the CTU conference last year has met once under this Government (still we know how reliable undertakings made by John Key to the union movement are!)
A recent report on management practices in the manufacturing industry showed that NZ managers surveyed are “average to middling by global standards” Furthermore people management emerges as the weakest area. And we are going to give poor people managers the right to fire at will for 90 days (except for discrimination covered by the Human Rights Act)!
A specific need identified in the Skills Strategy agreed by the last Government, Unions and Employers was around the need for more management training. We need forward looking people management that recognises that paying more not less, improving conditions of employment and genuine flexibility and respecting the need for independent worker voice that is engaged in improving the workplace and the products and services created/provided is what is required. Workplaces that are focussed on lifting productivity and where productive employment relations are seen as an integral part of this. We have some of these businesses but we need many more.
Fundamental to this approach is respect. I know from my own experience as a union organiser that workers value and desire respect at work. Respect for them as individuals but also respect for their unions. They also want to work with and for employers they respect.
I would like to see a real focus on productive employment relations but it will not happen under the approach being promoted by this National Government.
Oppressive regime! We really are closing the gap with China!
I hope someone in the Nat Party, a delegate or whoever has the kahunas to do some leaking this weekend because I would like to think that there are some real differences to be aired… if they are all in accord, it is scary indeed for our future
Just been on the union march in Dunedin to the National offices down here. 60-ish peeps in all by my count, lots of Labour supporters. Excellent turnout for just 2 days notice.
Your post hits a bullseye IMO C.arol. The fact of the matter is that respect, co-operation and motivation are all intrinsic to running successful high-value added businesses. Workers want to feel motivated and that their contributions are worth something in jobs which are meaningful. And they want to be well led and well managed. National clearly have no idea about any of this. Pay and conditions are not the only reason that workers are fleeing to Australia, each of these other elements contributes to job satisfaction – or disatisfaction.
At the same time I am very wary of some union members who appear to feel that the way ‘forwards’ for our economy is by going back to the days of forcing lock outs and general strikes.
Tactically, union militancy can play a very selectively useful role but it also will not gain broad acceptance or support from today’s communities if it forms the overarching approach (IMO). Strategically workers can only be winners if we have a richer, stronger, higher value economy. One where workers’ roles and contributions are well recognised and well rewarded within interesting, productive, secure jobs.
The propogation of increasing inequalities and an ‘us and them’ mentality in the workplace is unsustainable for a small country already struggling to keep its head above water.
Maybe it behoove slabour to start parading some good employer/union partnerships. I know they exist. I live with someone who works in a place where union members exist side by side with individually negotiated cemployees. Hands down the conditions and pay for th eunion members is the better deal.
@Tracey: I think it’s cojones (Spanish for balls), but yes this is not about siding with employers, it’s about siding with BAD employers
Thanks for posting it: “A recent report on management practices in the manufacturing industry showed that NZ managers surveyed are “average to middling by global standards” Furthermore people management emerges as the weakest area. And we are going to give poor people managers the right to fire at will for 90 days (except for discrimination covered by the Human Rights Act)!”
Yup, easier to give managers with no people skills the right to fire employees than train those managers to foster their employees, creating a world class managerial base.
@Loota & Steve: Bad managers will have even more of an incentive to become what they hate – ie, 1970s British trade union culture.