15 December 2004

Exciting future ahead for Partnership Advisory Board

The appointments to the Partnership Resource Centre Advisory Board, announced today by the Secretary of Labour, will ensure the Centre maintains strong connections with New Zealand unions and employers says the Public Service Association (PSA).

The Partnership Resource Centre was established in October to help employers and unions build positive workplace relationships. It was one of the priority projects included in the Partnership for Quality agreement the PSA signed with the Prime Minister last year and it was developed by project group involving the Council of Trade Unions, employer and government organisations. PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff has been appointed to the Advisory Board, along with four other people from employer, union and academic backgrounds.

PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott said the partnership approach was recognised as a key tool to increase productivity and improve working conditions amongst European nations.

“New Zealand businesses and workers operate in an interconnected and rapidly changing world. To succeed we need to move employer-union relationships beyond a sole focus on bargaining issues and on to ways to foster greater workplace innovation and flexibility.

“Partnership approaches have already been used in New Zealand to bring together government, unions and private sector employers around issues of common interest but they have much wider potential.

“The Advisory Board draws its members from all sectors of the economy; from unions and employers, and public and private organisations. This will be a real strength and will ensure the Centre remains grounded in the mainstream of New Zealand economic life.

“Our economy is one of the strongest performing in the OECD. The Centre has a major role to play showcasing practical change at the enterprise level which locks in the continued economic and social development all New Zealanders want,” Brenda Pilott said.

ENDS

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