The age of freelancers is upon us and if our society is not prepared people are going to be left behind. A new economy has emerged out of the embryonic fluid of the digital age. The gig economy, a love child of the internet and globalisation, is transforming how we work to the extent that independent contractors or “freelancers” are becoming the norm. The "gig […]
Posted: December 18, 2018
So, we’ve been reading a lot about the Tomorrow’s Schools recommendation to “shake up” NZ’s education system. The Tomorrow’s Schools Review is a part of the Government’s Education Work Programme, led by an independent taskforce to set recommendations on the future of schooling. The official recommendation and report were released last week. Pretty much everything you need to know you can read right here. And […]
Posted: December 12, 2018
Robots taking over human society has long been fodder for dystopian sci-fi movies like Terminator, The Matrix, I Robot, and Westworld. These stories are so compelling in part because of the real possibility that it could happen. What if I told you it is happening? No, there aren’t any killer androids roaming the streets seeking to extinguish human existence (not yet…) But our jobs, and […]
Posted: November 21, 2018
Hiring young people is an investment. There is a science behind managing young workers and many employers don’t put in the effort. But those that do have a powerful opportunity to develop the future of their business. Recently Massey University published a guidebook for employers to help them be more intentional in their approach to employing and managing vulnerable young people, but I think it […]
Posted: October 24, 2018
Have I got your attention? Good. Before I continue let me qualify my opening statement. What I’m talking about here is exploitation and breaches of the minimum code. It’s rife among SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) in New Zealand and they are considerably worse at meeting their obligations than their larger corporate cousins. Not all small business owners are shoddy employers but there are […]
Posted: September 18, 2018
by Mel Martin Once upon a time Catherine Hodges, a bright, young activist living in the Tron dared to dream up a world where every single person has access to education and empowerment that provides them a fair and just future. Catherine’s way of contributing to achieving that long-term goal was forming the Young Workers Resource Centre in 1993; with plans to provide educational employment […]
Posted: September 6, 2018
Is work a safe place for our minds? Let's talk about how we can bring mental wellbeing in the workplace up to speed with physical health and safety - Tony Stevens, Mental Health Advocate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I didn’t feel like going to work the other day. It was Monday and I was feeling acutely depressed. In the last few years I’ve lost a brother to suicide […]
Posted: July 26, 2018
Business leaders are whinging about employment law changes - what does that mean for workers? Welcome to our new YWRC column 'Tony's Bants... A column series where YWRC Business Manager Tony Stevens will vent his spleen on a current employment-related issue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to your employment rights are coming and the NZ business community is not happy about it. The government plans to restore workers’ […]
Posted: May 15, 2018
Are employers allowed to cut your pay rate because they feel like it? Welcome to our new YWRC column 'Tony's Bants... A column series where YWRC Business Manager Tony Stevens will vent his spleen on a current employment-related issue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why do we work? Well some people have sweet jobs where they get to take photos of baby seals off the coast of Greenland so […]
Posted: April 18, 2018
Disclaimer: The opinion piece below was written by President of the NZ Council of Trade Unions Richard Wagstaff, and was originally published on the NZ Herald website. We just think it's super cool and wanted to share it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is no doubt that the changes this Government is making to employment law will make working people's lives better. Bringing back rest and meal breaks […]
Posted: April 10, 2018
