Ardern tells unions to expect a lot

In her first major speech as Prime Minister-designate, Jacinda Ardern has reaffirmed a series of progressive promises to her Left-wing base.

With the announcement of coalition policies over and done with, Ardern’s speech to the biennial conference of the Council of Trade Unions in Wellington yesterday focused more on red-meat Labour Party policy.

Higher wages, more paid parental leave, protections for union activities, and a planned re-entry into the Pike River Mine all made an appearance.

‘‘We are going to hit the ground running, and we’re starting with a suite of issues that really matter to working New Zealanders,’’ Ardern said.

‘‘It is in everyone’s interest for families to have higher incomes, for working people’s lives to be better, for our economy to be more efficient and productive.’’

While the speech emphasised union-friendly policies, like the restoration of tea breaks, protections for collective bargaining, and a higher minimum wage, Ardern said working together with business would be key.

‘‘I know most businesses want a fair set of employment policies,’’ Ardern said.

‘‘They know that we need decent wages if they are going to

"We are going to hit the ground running, and we’re starting with a suite of issues that really matter to working New Zealanders."

Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern

have customers for their products. They know that we need to boost our productivity, and low wages are a barrier to that because they discourage investment in training and capital.

‘‘Unions, NGOs, businesses, councils, iwi, and other community groups all have their role to play, with our Government, to build a better New Zealand.’’

Green Party co-leader, and incoming minister for climate change, James Shaw spoke after Ardern, promising the crowd serious change from the status quo.

The Green Party is in a confidence and supply agreement with Labour, with three ministers outside of Cabinet.

‘‘We have spent the better part of 30 years working towards being in government, to be in a position to deliver transformative change – and it will be transformative, not incremental – for our people and for our planet,’’ Shaw said.

He focused on precarious work, climate change and pay equity.

He talked up new green jobs in the regions – ‘‘lots of them’’ – that he said a clear direction on climate change would bring.

‘‘Our whole intent will be to flip climate policy from being seen as a threat and a cost, to being seen as an opportunity and an investment in the future,’’ Shaw said.

‘‘That means we’ll be creating tens-of-thousands of new jobs, paying decent wages for workers and families all over New Zealand.

‘‘Not just hi-tech city jobs, but out in the regions as well. It would be worth doing even if we weren’t saving the world.’’

He confirmed that Labour and the Greens intended to overhaul the benefit system within the next three years, removing excessive sanctions and possibly stand-down periods.

On gender pay equity, Shaw’s argument was simple: ‘‘Come on, it’s 2017.

‘‘There has been a calculated decision to pay some people less than others, and women deserve to be paid more than they currently get.’’

The Government should lead by example, especially as the State Services Commission paid men 33 per cent more than women, he said.