By Tearii Pilitati-Firmin, PSA Youth
and Mele Tonga-Grant, PSA Pasefika Female Youth Co-Convenor
Tearii and Mele from PSA Youth explore different methods of making change in the workplace.
Today’s political landscape is rapidly changing. It’s more important than ever for us to be proactive and educated, so we’re able to best serve our communities, respond to emerging challenges created by political decision-making, and to hold the government of the day to account.
As public and community service workers, where can we start if we want to take action?
Navigators of change
Assessing the conditions of our work environment that we have influence over grants us a powerful position in the workplace. The following can act as levers that will influence and activate meaningful change
Policies: We can influence the rules we work by and our ways of being within our teams. This includes our collective agreements.
Practices: What we do and the tikanga we practice sets our foundations and the aspirations we have for ourselves and our work, using our cultural values as a basis for decision making.
Resource Flow: What we have access to and how we share this information can be a powerful tool, especially when we consider the collective nature of union work.
Relationships: How we work together and tauhi vā (how we reciprocally nurture relationships) is important in encouraging collectivism.
Power Dynamics: Understanding our spheres of influence with leaders and influencers of change.
Mental Models: Our mindsets and internal dialogue and beliefs influences the way in which we activate and unionise.
The following actions demonstrates how these levers can be used.
Keep the kōrero/talanoa rolling
Keeping up with current issues, budget cuts, job security, working conditions and so on can be challenging. PSA networks can help to keep us informed and consider a range of perspectives. This better enables us all to understand our collective needs and aspirations and to make gains which benefit us all and leave no one behind. Safe spaces to unpack topical issues allows us to also build a more informed and resilient community. Political awareness isn’t just for policy makers and advisors, it’s for everyone!
Energise the energisers
Us workers can encourage each other, by celebrating our coworkers’ achievements and creating opportunities for whānaungatanga through shared kai or activities such as doing the morning quiz together. We want to ensure our communities and workplaces remain adaptable to change and ready to face the challenges of political shifts. Find those people who are equipped with political knowledge and aligned with your values. Build mana-enhancing spaces by allowing people to be their whole authentic selves and celebrate our differences so they also feel confident and supported to take on leadership roles, lead out different kaupapa and drive engagement. Build a village of dynamic supporters around our leaders, to be guided by the voice of our workforce.
You do you and back yourself
We have the power to drive true change, generationally, and it’s not going to be easy. Every person has a role to play and has something special to offer. We need to commit ourselves to being authentic.
Bring your whole self to work, always acknowledge your commitment to your cultural values and traditions. In the face of challenges or misunderstandings, your understanding through these practices is invaluable - , our acknowledgments to you all. It is through these actions that we not only honour our heritage but also create spaces where everyone, regardless of background, feels valued and respected.
While these actions may seem small, they are incredibly powerful and can create meaningful change – but most importantly, these actions are most effective when they’re taken as a collective. When we take these actions together, we create a stronger and more responsive union – able and ready to respond to our political environment.
