January 28, 2025 • 4 mins
New data shows more people are concerned about work, housing, and health, according to research by NZCTU.
The council's annual Mood of the Workforce survey polled over 1900 people - and many of these respondents have voiced concern with the direction the Government has taken the country.
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff says there's been a significant shift in the last 12 months - as people believe the Government isn't looking out for the interests of workers.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Brian Bridge.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Working people are concerned about insecurity and work, housing health.
This according to the latest Mood of the Workforce survey.
This is the CTU, the Council of Trade Unions. They've
pold nineteen hundred of their own members in response to
The Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey that looks to
talk to CEOs. Respondents were in support of a capital
(00:21):
gains tax. No surprise there, I suppose for unions, and
they were concerned with the direction the government is taking
us in. The CTU President Richard Wagstaff is with me.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Good evening, Good evening, Ryan.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Anything surprised you about these results?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I think what was surprising was just how much people
have shifted in the last twelve months. This survey has
done every year at the beginning of the year, and
you know, we know it's been pretty hard for working
people for quite some time now with the cost of
living crisis and other issues rent and so forth. And
a year ago, of course they experienced a month of
(00:58):
this government, and now the books experience just over a
year of this government. And while there was not a
lot of optimism given the changes to the fair pay agreements,
ninety day trials and saying it's going to be tough.
What you see coming through this survey is much more
an experience of being unemployed or being a cure in
terms of your not just your job, but your housing
(01:20):
and your health.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
As you said in introduction, so does this include people
who've lost their jobs? Because would you You wouldn't be
a member anymore, would you if you lost your job?
Speaker 1 (01:30):
This is a survey taken from our database. Just as
you say mood of the boardroom and business confidence. These
are basically people who are on our database. Many of
them may have had a job earlier, no longer have.
What's also come through it, of course, is people who
have remained at work are talking about their jobs getting
bigger because there's fewer people to do them, and also
being left there when they've had colleagues who have left.
(01:51):
And here some of the respondents have been pretty difficult
to read because I've talked about that sense of not
wanting to sort of raise is shoes or raisor sshoes
either work or in their accommodation, because they feel so
insecure and they know that there's there there's plenty people
out there who want their job or their house if
they aren't time put to head up. It's tough in
a vulnerable position.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And interestingly, Winston Peters did quite well in this survey.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Well he did relative to the last time, that's right.
He came up a bit, but which was interesting to see.
But unfortunately for the government, nor that the Prime Minister,
the Minister of Growth or Finance, nor the Minister of
Workplace Relations or the leader of the party did very
well at all. They were hammered, really the vast majority
of people thinking they're not doing a good job. And
I think you know what came through is a sense
(02:37):
of they're not working for us. They seem to be
accommodating interests of big business, of bobbyists, of tobacco companies,
of doing tax reform for people who aren't us, and
what about us. We're working people and we need a
better we need a better a fair system here and
we're not getting it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Is there disappointment in labor for the you know, first
of all, what they did to the economy to get
us here in the first place, but also their move
away from workers towards I didn't even know what they
became towards the end there, but there was a sense
that they had a kind of lost touch with the worker.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Well, this survey is about, you know, how people are
feeling right now with the current government. I think that
this survey is a wake up call for all politicians.
Working people think their bread and butter issues are important.
They want good jobs, they want employment security, they want
a future, and really we agree strongly with them, of course,
the Trade Union Council Council trade unions, but we want
(03:33):
to see that too. We want to see political parties
owning the problems of working people and understanding that they
are very crucial in terms of the future of this
country and they need to be They need to be understood.
And you know, insecurity is not good for anybody. We
need people to be confident about the future and investing
in it, not leaving town or leaving country for greener pastures.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Richard, thank you for that. Richard Wagstaff, the Council of
Trained Union's president, with us on the mood of the workforce,
which was set up to as a kind of counter
to the mood of the boardroom. From The Herald. For
more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive listen live to news talks.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
Brian Bridge.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Working people are concerned about insecurity and work, housing health.
This according to the latest Mood of the Workforce survey.
This is the CTU, the Council of Trade Unions. They've
pold nineteen hundred of their own members in response to
The Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey that looks to
talk to CEOs. Respondents were in support of a capital
(00:21):
gains tax. No surprise there, I suppose for unions, and
they were concerned with the direction the government is taking
us in. The CTU President Richard Wagstaff is with me.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Good evening, Good evening, Ryan.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Anything surprised you about these results?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I think what was surprising was just how much people
have shifted in the last twelve months. This survey has
done every year at the beginning of the year, and
you know, we know it's been pretty hard for working
people for quite some time now with the cost of
living crisis and other issues rent and so forth. And
a year ago, of course they experienced a month of
(00:58):
this government, and now the books experience just over a
year of this government. And while there was not a
lot of optimism given the changes to the fair pay agreements,
ninety day trials and saying it's going to be tough.
What you see coming through this survey is much more
an experience of being unemployed or being a cure in
terms of your not just your job, but your housing
(01:20):
and your health.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
As you said in introduction, so does this include people
who've lost their jobs? Because would you You wouldn't be
a member anymore, would you if you lost your job?
Speaker 1 (01:30):
This is a survey taken from our database. Just as
you say mood of the boardroom and business confidence. These
are basically people who are on our database. Many of
them may have had a job earlier, no longer have.
What's also come through it, of course, is people who
have remained at work are talking about their jobs getting
bigger because there's fewer people to do them, and also
being left there when they've had colleagues who have left.
(01:51):
And here some of the respondents have been pretty difficult
to read because I've talked about that sense of not
wanting to sort of raise is shoes or raisor sshoes
either work or in their accommodation, because they feel so
insecure and they know that there's there there's plenty people
out there who want their job or their house if
they aren't time put to head up. It's tough in
a vulnerable position.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And interestingly, Winston Peters did quite well in this survey.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Well he did relative to the last time, that's right.
He came up a bit, but which was interesting to see.
But unfortunately for the government, nor that the Prime Minister,
the Minister of Growth or Finance, nor the Minister of
Workplace Relations or the leader of the party did very
well at all. They were hammered, really the vast majority
of people thinking they're not doing a good job. And
I think you know what came through is a sense
(02:37):
of they're not working for us. They seem to be
accommodating interests of big business, of bobbyists, of tobacco companies,
of doing tax reform for people who aren't us, and
what about us. We're working people and we need a
better we need a better a fair system here and
we're not getting it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Is there disappointment in labor for the you know, first
of all, what they did to the economy to get
us here in the first place, but also their move
away from workers towards I didn't even know what they
became towards the end there, but there was a sense
that they had a kind of lost touch with the worker.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Well, this survey is about, you know, how people are
feeling right now with the current government. I think that
this survey is a wake up call for all politicians.
Working people think their bread and butter issues are important.
They want good jobs, they want employment security, they want
a future, and really we agree strongly with them, of course,
the Trade Union Council Council trade unions, but we want
(03:33):
to see that too. We want to see political parties
owning the problems of working people and understanding that they
are very crucial in terms of the future of this
country and they need to be They need to be understood.
And you know, insecurity is not good for anybody. We
need people to be confident about the future and investing
in it, not leaving town or leaving country for greener pastures.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Richard, thank you for that. Richard Wagstaff, the Council of
Trained Union's president, with us on the mood of the workforce,
which was set up to as a kind of counter
to the mood of the boardroom. From The Herald. For
more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive listen live to news talks.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.