22 September 2004

Unions Seek Industry Response to Skill Drain to Australia

The Council of Trade Unions is calling on employers to urgently address, on an industry basis, the skills drain to Australia, CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

The latest reports show an increase of 4,000 in the migration loss to Australia for the past year, and media reports indicate that construction workers can double their wages by crossing the Tasman.

“Urgent steps must be taken to attract skilled Kiwis back,” Ross Wilson said. “And a fundamental part of any strategy must be to improve wages and conditions of employment here on an industry basis.”

Even Don Brash acknowledged that the average 25 per cent pay gap between Australia and New Zealand must be addressed if we were to keep skilled New Zealanders.

“It is time to stop talking and do something about this growing crisis which is already slowing economic development in New Zealand,” Ross Wilson said.

ENDS

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New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.

CONTACT NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS

• Website - union.org.nz/
• Phone - +64 4 385 1334
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• Physical Address - Level 7, West Block, Education House, 178 Willis St, Wellington.

• Media Contact - huiaw@nzctu.org.nz
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• Twitter - @FairnessNZ
• Postal Address - PO Box 6645, Marion Square, Wellington 6141.

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