Campaign sees 85pc of workers get 5pc increase

A nationwide campaign by the country's biggest union to get a 5 per cent pay rise for all its members has succeeded for almost 85 per cent of collective contracts.

Since the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) launched its "Fair Share - 5 in '05" campaign in February, 84.7 per cent of the contracts negotiated have included payrises of 5 per cent or more.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said 101 of the 242 settlements were higher than 5 per cent. Only 37 were under 5 per cent, but it could be argued some were worth 5 per cent when other conditions were included, he said. The rest were for 5 per cent.

"Members' expectations have risen but also they are more staunch about following through on those expectations," he said.

"The high number of settlements is giving our members a sense of collective self-confidence."

Employers' groups had criticised the campaign as demonstrating "old-style stand-over tactics", but Mr Little said workers were responsible for accepting or rejecting a deal.

For the most part, negotiations had been progressing "very well", he said.

Mr Little, on his way to join a rally at Carter Holt Harvey in Tokoroa, said "some pretty heated disputes" were continuing, notably at Carter Holt, Southward Engineering in Wellington, and Mt Cook Airlines in Queenstown.

"APN have not lifted their offer of 2.8 per cent, which is totally unacceptable ... But workers are holding firm."

While he accepted many businesses were under pressure from a high dollar and rocketing petrol costs, he said workers were facing the same inflationary pressures in their households.

"That actually reduces the value of any increase we're able to get, and it's no excuse for not giving people a decent pay settlement."

The prominence of tax issues and the "pretty acrimonious" debate in the general election showed many people were concerned about how much money was in their pockets, he said.

"But the only way to increase the amount of money in people's pockets at the end of the day is to lift wages.

"This campaign is all about closing the gaps between what workers are paid in this country and in other countries to which we are losing our workers ...

"That doesn't mean to say we don't need to stimulate business growth, but the two things - good economic management and decent pay for the people doing the actual work - are not mutually exclusive."

He agreed there had been an increase in strike action for two reasons: workers had increased expectations and, secondly, some employers were still coming to grips with the new era of collective bargaining.

Employers became accustomed to a "concession bargaining" environment over the past 15 years, Mr Little said.

"But workers are no longer prepared to just back down, they are much more staunch about getting decent pay rises."

There was no reason why industrial action should dent business confidence.

He said the general public had been "very supportive" of striking workers.

"People - particularly those who are workers themselves - know that wages are too low and something has to be done.

"The Auckland bus drivers' strike, for instance, got huge support from the public. This is about raising the bar for everyone."

The union had set up a strike fund to look after the welfare of striking workers, and would be appealing again for contributions from members, he said.

- NZPA