Press Statement from
Waitemata Unite
on the Government’s Welfare Reforms
On May Day, International Workers Day, 1st May, 2012.
May Day, 1st May, International Workers
Day, is a celebration of the
internatonal worker’s movement, a time
to celebrate our achievements and to promote our rights. Workers create the goods and services upon which our society
depends.
This May Day, Tuesday 1st
May, the Waitemata Branch of the Unite Union is calling for the work of mothers
and carers to be recognised for the
important work it is.
“Mothering is a 24 hour per day
job which is not even paid “, said Janet Robin
who is President of the branch.
“Mothers are bringing up the
future workers and tax payers” she said. “ In the future we are going to need
many more young people to do the work so
that society can support our increasingly elderly population,.”
“Children are our taonga”, she
said. “Society should be appreciating and supporting the mothers who raise
them.” “ But this government treats single mothers and their children as unwelcome and blames them for the economic crisis which they did not create.”
Ms Robin said that both National
and Labour discriminate against
beneficiary families.
Labour’s Working for Families gave tax
concessions to families who did not receive benefits, but not to those that did. “Although this improved the incomes of
some families, it widened the gap with
the very poorest ones headed by single parents”, she said.
It also meant that some wealthier
families could afford to have a parent at home, and yet a poor single parent, who had no partner to help
her with her children, was expected to go out and get a job, at a time of rising
unemployment.
“National’s Social Security
(Youth Support and Work Focus” Amendment Bill is even worse “ she said. “A first born child’s need to have its mother at home until school age is
recognised, but the need of a second
child for its mother is not.”
“ Indeed some mothers of one year old babies will be required to be available for full time work!” she said. “National is saying that this second
child is a second class citizen.”
“The early years are crucial for
a child’s attachment and bonding with its primary parent” said Ms Robin. “Children need love and security to grow up
to be healthy responsible adults.” “Breast feeding is best for a child’s
health, but this government’s policies don’t support that either.”
“All mothers and children should
be valued and supported by society” said Ms Robin. “We call for Paid Parental
Leave to be extended until the child is at least three.” “ Mothers in the work force need free
quality child care and time off for
breast feeding, sick children, and school holidays.” “Women need to receive equal pay with men.” “All workers and beneficiaries have the right
to a living income, and to time with our families.”
“We need social welfare, not
corporate welfare,” said Ms Robin. “We need fully funded quality health and
education, decent jobs, and living incomes for those who are mothering,
caring, or are sick.” “Instead National
wants to privatise health, education and welfare and cut public sector jobs.”
“We need to stand up and fight this!”
Ms Robin said that the government
was trying save the falling profits of the banks and corporates by driving
down wages and benefits.”
“ The banks and the coroporates
should pay for the economic crisis they created, not us” she said. “It’s time we had a policies based upon
social need, and not corporate greed.”
Waitemata
Unite is calling holding a rally to protest the welfare changes on Tuesday 1st
May at 1pm at the Aotea Square, followed by a pram parade to WINZ, Upper Queen
St at 1.30 pm, to hand out teddies to children.
Janet Robin
President
Waitemata Branch of Unite Union
c/- 0272800080
unitewaitemata@gmail.com
· Source:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/27_Feb_Welfare_Reform_QandA.pdf
Sole Parent Support
This includes all those on the DPB and Widow’s Benefits with children under
14.Those receiving Sole Parent Support will be expected to look for part-time
work when
their child is five years old and full-time when their child reaches the age of
14.
Those who have an additional child while on benefit will be exempted from work
expectations for 12 months, in line with parental leave provisions. Work
obligations will
then revert to the age of the youngest child when the parent went on benefit.
For example, a beneficiary with a seven year old, who has another child, will
return to a
part-time work expectation when their newborn turns one. A sole parent of a
fourteen
year old who has another child will return to a full-time work expectation
after one year.
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Waitemata Branch of Unite Union
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waitemataunite.blogspot.com
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