The Council of Trade Unions is delighted to announce the permanent appointment of Craig Renney to the position of CTU Economist and Director of Policy. Craig Renney replaces Andrea Black at the end of her fixed-term contract.

"Craig brings a wealth of experience with him having worked most recently for the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson as his Senior Economic Advisor for five years. Craig previously worked at The Reserve Bank, Treasury, and the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)," CTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges said.

Craig Renney said "This is a really important time to be joining the CTU and supporting the aspirations of the Union movement. There is a busy agenda ahead to create the industrial and economic policies we can all be proud of, and to help build the foundations of an economy and a labour market that is genuinely more productive, sustainable, and inclusive.

"I am particularly looking forward to working together with our partners in government, business, and the social sectors to tackle the problems facing working New Zealanders. The CTU believes that the core of the New Zealand economy is its people. As we emerge from the global pandemic and see economic growth return, we must ensure that the benefits of that growth are being delivered to all of them."

"We are incredibly grateful to have had Andrea Black with us over the past year. Andrea has made a stellar contribution. She has been a real asset to the CTU during an extremely challenging period as we rallied together to address the complexities of a global pandemic and its impact on working people's lives," Ansell-Bridges said.

"Andrea hands the reins over to Craig in December," Ansell-Bridges said.

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