News in Brief

WHAT YOU DID IN THE LOCKDOWN

In the last week of Alert Level 4, we asked PSA members about your lockdown experiences through an online survey.

Thanks to 16,352 members who shared their experiences with us.

Your responses show what an amazing contribution people in public and community services made to get us all through.

Of those who completed the survey, 69% worked in essential services, while 95% continued working through Level 4. 

Of those of you who continued to work, just under two thirds worked from home.

The highest rates of not being able to work were in local government, 10%, and community support, 12%.

In local government this was partly due to the closure of libraries. In community support, a third of workers reported they could not work because they were over 70 or immune compromised, or caring for another adult in their household.

Encouragingly 77% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their employers’ support for their health and safety.

Those who did not get the support they needed were mainly concerned about the provision of protective equipment, or the adequacy of equipment and communication.

WOMEN’S NETWORK CONFERENCE

The PSA Women's Network is holding its biennial conference in Wellington on August 27-28.

There will be panel discussions featuring women leading the way in pay equity and smashing the ceiling across our union, the women’s movement and the political sphere.

We’ll also look at the challenges we face, and strategies we can use to advance equality for women.

PSA national secretary Erin Polaczuk and President Janet Quigley will be among the speakers.

Keynote speakers include Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter, PSA Mana Wahine claim lawyer Tania Te Whenua, Labour List MP Kiritapu Allan and Green List MP Jan Logie.

While the conference is fully subscribed, you can find out more about the Women’s Network at www.psa.org.nz/women  

POSTPONEMENTS

Two important PSA events have been postponed due to uncertainties created during the lockdown.

The PSA Congress will now be held on November 16-18.

It will bring together representatives from all sectors to set policy and direction, and elect a new PSA President.

The PSA Māori Congress, Hui Taumata will now be held on October 29-30. The hui is an opportunity to strengthen the voice of Māori within the union.

HEALTH & DISABILITY REVIEW

The PSA is particularly pleased a major review of the Health and Disability System has asked government to invest in more secure employment for community and home support workers.

Adequate funding must be allocated so front line workers can plan their lives and progress their careers.

The report calls for an end to the fragmentation that plagues the system, and notes the severe health inequities facing Māori.

We welcome the report’s recognition of the role health workers and their unions can play to improve outcomes.

PSA PAY TOOL

We’re building a PSA member-only pay tool so you can explore a massive pay database gathered from our first-ever whole of PSA pay survey last year.

More than 27,000 members shared their pay information in the survey.

The pay tool on our website will enable you to search pay rates by occupation and have this displayed by region, gender, ethnicity and other factors. We hope to add new data every year to keep you up-to-date.

The tool will give you the information you need to make decisions about your job and career, and tell you if you are being paid fairly.

It will give members unprecedented pay transparency within the PSA’s areas of coverage.

The Human Rights Commission is campaigning for pay transparency to end the gender pay gap.

As soon as the Pay Tool is ready to go, we will let you know. 

PROGRESSIVE THINKING WEBINARS

We’ve invited some of New Zealand’s most interesting thinkers to present webinars on Possible Futures for Public and Community Services.

In the lead up to the election, PSA members will be able to discuss what change is needed as we rebuild from the Covid crisis.

Look out for webinars on a Ministry of Works, Māori policy and delivery, the health system, the welfare state, social marketing and the State, Better Government, fresh water regulation and tax.

Or check out previous webinars at www.psa.org.nz/progressivethinking 

PSA SANITISER

As our members returned to work we secured supplies of PSA sanitiser to help keep you safe in the workplace.

The sanitiser is being distributed via organisers and national delegates, but if you would like a few more for your office contact comms@psa.org.nz 

PSA JOURNAL

In a communications survey last year members told us they wanted fewer paper copies of Working Life due to concerns about the environmental impact and waste.

We’re responding to this by reducing the copies we send to larger offices by 10% each issue this year.

We’re also making the journal more accessible through an email newsletter and a refreshed webpage: www.psa.org.nz/working-life/

BOOK WINNERS

Thanks to the many of you who entered our competition to win copies of Tooth and Veil by Noel O’Hare.

Anna Friedlander from Waipa District Council, Ruth Ferrari from Nelson Marlborough DHB, and Christchurch dental therapist Prue Davis were the lucky winners who told us Annette King was the former dental nurse and PSA delegate who went on to become a Labour MP.