Unions Give Strong Voice to Workers
15 October 2004
Unions Build Power and Influence to Give Strong Voice to Workers
The biggest challenge facing unions was to build the union movement’s power and influence in order to give workers a stronger voice, Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.
Speaking at the Police Association’s conference in Wellington, Ross Wilson said unions played a key role in empowering workers to participate in debates about the country’s economic and social future.
“It is absolutely vital that we use our collective strength to influence Government and business,” he said. “That is a legitimate role for us in democratic society.”
Unions must organise members to take part in the great debates of the day, Ross Wilson said. “That is their democratic right, and their responsibility as citizens.
“Our very existence is dependent upon democratic rights and it is our objective to build a social movement unionism which fully participates in New Zealand democratic processes and governance.”
ENDS