Fair Wage Outcomes Key to Productivity

The prospect of better income for workers is a key motivator for improved productivity, Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

He was commenting on the Government Productivity Working Group made up of representatives from Business NZ, the CTU, Government and other members which meets for the first time today.

“After the experiences of the 1980’s and 1990’s workers are understandably suspicious of words like “productivity” and “growth,” Ross Wilson said. “It usually meant cuts in jobs and conditions for workers to increase profits for the employer.

“For the CTU the Productivity Group is about building workers’ skills and productive workplace relationships,” he said “And that must include discussion about how productivity growth will be shared.” Ross Wilson said that the CTU has already had a very useful dialogue with Business NZ on a range of issues such as the need for investment in quality infrastructure, skill development, and improvements in workplace organisation.

“The CTU will continue to engage constructively,” he said. “It will be important for the group to come up with practical suggestions that will make sense to workers and businesses throughout New Zealand.

“It will be vital that workers have confidence in this process,” Ross Wilson said. “The negative business reaction to tweaking of employment laws doesn’t help.”

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