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#BHN Big Hairy News#BHN Day 2 of women losing the right to equal pay | Unemployment steady | Trump get's told 'No'We're starting a campaign to support Women's Refuge tonight. If this government want's to put women into hardship, then we better get behind one of the groups that helps women when they're at their most vulnerable.See www.BHNShop.nz for detailsUnemployment data released today by Statistics New Zealand shows ongoing weakness in the labour market, with falling employment, falling hours of work, and nearly half of all workers getting a pay rise less than inflation. NZCTU economist Craig Renney joins us tonight to flesh out the numbers.The fallout continues by the government halting all current pay equity...2025-05-071h 29
NightsWhy strikes happen on May DayNZCTU president Richard Wagstaff joins Emile Donovan to share the history of May Day, a historic workers' rights commemoration, after 5,000 salaried medical professionals striked for 24-hours today.2025-05-0108 min
Community or ChaosCommunity or Chaos - 01-04-2025 - Craig Renney - NZCTUCraig Renney - NZCTU.
Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin www.oar.org.nz2025-04-0147 min
Heather du Plessis-Allan DriveRichard Wagstaff: NZCTU President voices disapproval with the Government scrapping living wage contract rulesUnions are disputing the Government's reasoning for scrapping living wage contract rules. This move is part of a wider proposal to simplify the procurement process for companies wanting Government contracts. Council of Trade Unions President, Richard Wagstaff, says the argument that small businesses are missing out because they can't afford wages doesn't make sense. "What it is, basically, is a standard. And everyone bidding for Government contracts has to meet the same standard, so there's no disadvantage to a small, medium or large businesses. They're all on the same playing field." Wa...2025-03-1202 min
Best of BusinessRichard Wagstaff: NZCTU President on the results from the latest Mood of the Workforce surveyNew data shows more people are concerned about work, housing, and health, according to research by NZCTU. The council's annual Mood of the Workforce survey polled over 1900 people - and many of these respondents have voiced concern with the direction the Government has taken the country. NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff says there's been a significant shift in the last 12 months - as people believe the Government isn't looking out for the interests of workers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2025-01-2804 min
Midday ReportMinimum wage set to increase by 35 centsThe minimum wage will rise by 35 cents next year to $23.50 an hour in what the government describes as a "modest increase". NZCTU acting president Rachel Mackintosh spoke to Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira.2024-12-1703 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyA housing market with bits tacked on doesn’t need many (if any) pure scientistsMorena. Long stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy for Thursday, December 5:* The Government halved spending on ‘blue-sky’ research by completely removing social sciences and humanities funding, arguing only research in physics, chemistry, maths, engineering and biomedical sciences would help the economy.* The latest Government spending cuts take the numbers of Government-funded science job losses to well over 500 this year, adding to the over 200 residents who emigrate each day to other OECD countries, where the average for Research & Development spending of around 3% of GDP is more twice that of New Zealand.* Stats NZ has re...2024-12-0409 min#BHN Big Hairy News#BHN NZCTU Maranga Ake Hui | Crown Observer for WCC | The Andrew Bayly saga continuesCTU President Richard Wagstaff joins us LIVE at 9pm to talk about Maranga Ake on October 23rd up and down the country. Maranga Ake are hui across the country to fight back against the Government’s ongoing attacks on workers’ rights.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown observer to Wellington City Council. Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said in response, "it is my view that we accept this and work constructively with whoever is appointed".
Andrew Bayly spoke to media today apologising several times for his behaviour but never expanding on what the actu...2024-10-221h 26
Aotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 10: The Future of Fair Pay Agreements?This is the last episode of Aotearoa’s Opportunity and in it we document the final days of the Fair Pay Agreements Act including a petition of 15,000 signatures being presented to parliament; calling on the government to reconsider the repeal of the legislation, heated debates from parliament and the Stand up for Fair Pay Protest on the parliamentary lawn. This episode and series acts as an archival piece to document this period of time for the Workers Movement in Aotearoa and it is dedicated to all of the workers who will be directly impacted by the removal of...2023-12-2042 minAotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 9: The Story So Far.On Episode 9 of Aotearoa’s Opportunity Ben Peterson the national FPA Co-ordinator has a discussion reflecting on the campaign to get Fair Pay Agreements across the line with with FPA Support Organisers Una & Oliver. This conversation touches on some of the work that has been going on behind the scenes, the obstacles faced along the way, lessons learned and some indications on a path forward for securing a future for FPAs in the long term. 2023-11-2639 minAotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 8: Pay Equity & Care & Support Workers.On Episode 8 of AOP we talk with Marianne Bishop about Pay Equity and the Aged Care & Support Work Industry. We discuss the the work which has been historically done by women being undervalued and underpaid due to it being considered "women's work." Today this causes industries that are predominantly populated by women to have significant less pay and poorer working conditions compared to similar male dominated industries. To address this issue we discuss the historic pay equity settlement of 2017, the new joint pay equity claim on behalf of care and support workers and the importance of sector wi...2023-10-1635 minAotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 7: Labour History in Aotearoa.On episode 7, Grace Miller a historian and union activist discusses the history of labour and industrial relations within Aotearoa. We discuss how Fair Pay Agreements came about and how this kind of sector wide bargaining is common internationally and existed in New Zealand up until the early 90s. Grace also gives some really interesting context talking about unionisation as a tool for creating transformational change while giving some poignant examples from our history in relation to pay equity, the creation of Waitangi Day as a public holiday, the situation at Bastion Point, LGBTQ rights and more.2023-10-1053 min
Aotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 6: Improving Early Childhood EducationOn Episode 6 Lisa and Louise discuss the importance of early childhood education for Aotearoa. By setting up our children properly at the start of their lives with quality education we are investing in our societies future and it will pay off great dividends in the years to come. Currently however there are significant challenges that teachers face especially in relation to pay, non contact time, short staffing and the ministry set ratio of 5 children to 1 teacher. As well as this Lisa & Louise discuss the impact that being a part of NZEI has had on them and the o...2023-10-0332 min
Aotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 5: The Aspirations of the Hospitality Fair Pay Agreement.On this Episode we discuss the aspirations of the Hospitality Industry Fair Pay Agreement with John Crocker the National Secretary of Unite Union. This is the biggest Fair Pay Agreement covering up to 150,000 workers across the country. John reflects on some of his personal experiences within the industry and the impact that becoming involved with the union had on his life, some of the significant wins of the union over the years and the positive impact that unionisation can allow for workers to set their own work culture.If you are in a un-unionised ho...2023-09-2119 minAotearoa's OpportunityMini Episode: Fair Pay Agreement Updates.On todays episode Ben Peterson will be giving a brief recap on the podcast so far. He discusses the exciting Bus Fair Pay Agreement, of which thousands of bus drivers have been participating with across the country. A discussion is also held as to the status of FPAs that have been approved and are progressing for workers in supermarkets, hospitality, cleaning, security and early childhood education.If you're working in a Fair Pay Agreement industry or if your industry isn't covered by a Fair Pay Agreement yet but you think it might be in the future and y...2023-09-1106 minAotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 4: The Economics of Fair Pay Agreements.On this episode Melissa Ansell-Bridges interviews NZCTU Economist, Craig Renney about the implications of Fair Pay Agreements for the New Zealand economy.Craig explains how Fair Pay Agreements can help to build an economy that works better for working people and by extension New Zealand's society as whole, while also addressing some of the common misconceptions about Fair Pay Agreements.2023-09-0433 min
Aotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 3: The Security IndustryThe Security Industry is beset by problems relating to low pay, health and safety, a lack of training and education and job insecurity. On todays episode Jayson Ormsby a Union Organiser with 5 years experience working within the security industry will share with us his perspective and experiences. He will explain industry level problems and his personal aspirations for how Fair Pay Agreements could be used to help address some of these problems.2023-08-2820 minAotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 2: What are Fair Pay Agreements?Episode 2: What are Fair Pay AgreementsTo create a better world of work, it's something we need to do together and in today's episode, we will discuss a HUGE opportunity. Fair Pay Agreements are a massive opportunity for workers to fundamentally redefine work in New Zealand.Fair Pay Agreements are a new mechanism for workers to get together across industries or occupations and set the minimum standards for their work. Through the process of Fair Pay Agreements, workers and employers can come together democratically to agree on whats fair for their industry. This...2023-08-2132 min
Aotearoa's OpportunityEpisode 1: What are Unions?To create a better world of work, it's something we need to do together and in today's episode, we will discuss how we can do that. By ourselves our voices can be small, but when we come together, our voices are strong and heard. A union is a group of workers, who have joined together to improve their workplaces. It is a democratic organisation of working people. When you join a union and pay your union fees, you join with other workers to improve things like pay and conditions. Union members can make change in a ran...2023-08-1420 minAotearoa's OpportunityAotearoa's Opportunity Podcast - An Overview.Aotearoa's Opportunity Podcast examines the potential that Fair Pay Agreements offer to improve the lives of everyday workers and create a more prosperous and equitable society. 2023-07-1902 min
R1 NewsR1 News Rāmere Friday 29th April - Amiria Pianta-Price & Zac Hoffman - Radio One 91FMHaere mai ki te R1 News on Radio One 91FM
On today's programme have Business as Usual with Economics Lecturer Trent Smith, where we talk about public holiday trade restrictions in Aotearoa, and their economic/social impacts. We also discussed tax transparency for high income earners and alternative ways of structuring tax systems. We spoke to Melissa Ansell Bridges (secretary of the NZCTU) about the Fair Pay Agreements Bill and its potential to improve conditions and wages for workers. Astrology Report looked at Geminis and Cancers. In Off to Market we caught up with Michele Driscoll (Manager...2022-04-2800 minR1 NewsInterview: Melissa Ansell Bridges (NZCTU Secretary) on the Fair Pay Agreements Bill - Zac Hoffman - Radio One 91FMThe Fair Pay Agreements Bill is being lauded by some for its potential to improve conditions and wages for workers - will the bill actually have this effect?
The bill in question passed its first reading in early April and is currently going through a select committee. it's intended to provide better working conditions and pay for workers by allowing unions to establish fair pay agreements with employers with the hope of establishing industry-specific minimum pay standards.
We speak to Melissa Ansell Bridges (secretary of the NZ Council of Trade Unions) about whether the Bill...2022-04-2800 min
When the Facts ChangeDesigning a social insurance scheme that worksWe’ve been hearing the phrase “social insurance” a lot since the government released the 2021 budget last week. It’s an idea designed to deal with unemployment we’re going to see a lot more of in the years to come, but it also brings up issues of inequality and fairness. Would introducing unemployment insurance just help embed a two-tier system in which the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor? To find out how it could work in practice, Bernard Hickey speaks to Kirk Hope from BusinessNZ and NZCTU president Richard Wagstaff. Learn more about...2021-05-2741 min