Unions want co-operative society

Press, 16 November 1987, Page 2

Unions want co-operative society

PA Wellington New Zealand should be a co-operative society organised for the greatest participation possible of all its individuals and sectors, according to the Federation of Labour and the Combined State Unions. The two union organisations have presented their final submission to the Royal Commission on Social Policy covering a wide range of issues affecting New Zealanders’ rights to an equitable distribution of the nation’s resources. The unions made 27

recommendations on work, unions, wages and social services emphasising that the State should continue to play a dominant role. The economy should serve the needs of people through the provision of planned, comprehensive social services available to all free or at an affordable cost These should be funded through a progressive taxation system, the unions said. “New Zealand should be recognised as a multicultural society with very diverse needs, and

with special recognition given to the bicultural nature of our society. “Our view is that the freedom of New Zealanders, and our rights to an equitable distribution of the resources we all create, are enhanced by the collective provision of goods and services subsumed under the general title of social policy.”

The unions separated economic and social issues in their writing of the submission, but emphasised that they saw no distinction in fact between an economic and

a social policy programme. The unions in their recommendations said the Government should not find private suppliers of social services and should apply specific guidelines to voluntary agencies using public money.

They did not favour user-pays, saying services rather than users should be funded by Government from general taxation.

Contracting out of services should be actively discouraged by the State and those which did exist should have stringent accountability provisions.

They recommended tripartite industrial and regional councils so representatives of all sectors could exchange information and monitor economic change.

Family Support payments should be indexed to the consumer price index, a capital gains tax should be Introduced, and the Government should retain ownership of public assets managed by the new State corporations, they said.

The national award system should be protected and the minimum wage should apply to home workers, outworkers, and those aged under 20. Maori should be an official language in New Zealand and bilingual education should be provided by the State. The State should also provide and fund childcare.

The unions included a recommendation that part-time workers should have the same employment status as full-time workers.