The CTU believes that while a Productivity Commission could provide an integrated focus on major issues which will lift wages and living standards, the design of the Commission and the focus of its work will be crucial.

It is no surprise that the Business Round Table and Business NZ are using disappointing productivity statistics to argue for even more attacks on existing employment law.

Figures released today reveal that for the first 7 months of the financial year, the Government operating deficit before gains and losses was $883 million smaller than expected, the operating deficit was $1.4 billion smaller than forecast and gross debt was $2.9 billion lower than forecast.

The Council of Trade Unions has signalled support in principle for Tau Henare's private member's bill, the Employment Relations (Workers' Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill, on secret ballots by workers prior to strike action.

The tax reform proposals put forward by the Government's Tax Working Group will, if adopted, tilt the tax system more in favour of wealthier New Zealanders.

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The Report of the Tax Working Group hints that the Government could move in this year's Budget on a risk free return tax method on investment property along with changes to depreciation on buildings and thin capitalisation to make room for reductions in personal income tax.

The CTU is asking what the point of the 2025 taskforce is.

Peter Conway, CTU Secretary, says that it was a fair bet that this group would simply recycle the policies of the 1984-99 period in their recommendations to close the income gap with Australia by 2025.

The CTU has welcomed the decision of the Combined Unions to ratify the settlement of their collective agreement with NZ Bus.

The CTU gave a cautious welcome to expansion of the youth Job Ops scheme and the improvement in youth unemployment figures announced today.

The Council of Trade Unions says more can be done to assist the unemployed. The unemployment rate, as measured by the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) published today, went up to 6.5 percent in the September quarter which is 150,000 people.