THE UNIONIST - the CTU's weekly newsletter

The Council of Trade Unions says that rises in workers’ wages are welcome, but they are not being felt universally and they need to keep on rising. The Unionist this week also reports on efforts to support Burma, the rail buy back, two festivals on right now and a view from across the ditch. Story summaries are below, and click here for the full newsletter: http://union.org.nz/news/2008/the-unionist-wages-burma-and-views-from-across-the-ditch

* Wages need to keep rising – CTU
The Council of Trade Unions said this week that rises in workers’ wages are welcome, but they are not being felt universally and they need to keep on rising.

* Support for Burma
The President of the CTU Helen Kelly and the Director of the New Zealand Office of the National Council for the Union of Burma, Naing Ko Ko this week jointly called on New Zealanders to give generously to Burma cyclone relief.

* A view from across the ditch
The President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions was in New Zealand this week, and spoke to Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report about how things were looking for Australian workers, 6 months on from their federal election last year.

* Govt buys back rail
Transport unions have this week welcomed news that the government had completed the repurchase of the national train and ferry assets.

* Two festivals now on - fair trade and human rights films
Fair Trade fortnight 2008 started last Friday and runs to the 18th of May. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Film Festival is back, and includes Dunedin for the first time.

Click here for the full newsletter: http://union.org.nz/news/2008/the-unionist-wages-burma-and-views-from-across-the-ditch