Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - New Zealand (Ratification: 1983)

The Committee notes the communication from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), Business New Zealand (Business NZ), and the Government’s reply thereon. With respect to the NZCTU’s observations concerning migrant workers under the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, the Committee notes that the issues raised primarily relate to inequalities with respect to social security, remuneration, accommodation and trade union membership covered by the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97). As some of the issues have been addressed by the Committee in its observation of 2007 on Convention No. 97, the Committee will examine the NZCTU’s observations on the RSE scheme together with the Government’s next report on that Convention.

Access to employment and vocational training – Maori and Pacific Island people. The Committee recalls its previous observation addressing issues relating to the occupational segregation of Maori and Pacific Island people into certain occupations and their generally lower education, qualifications and skills levels. It notes the Government’s indication that the unemployment rate for Maori was 13.3 per cent in the year to March 2010, which was 4.5 per cent points above its 2009 level; when compared with the unemployment rate for all people which was 6.4 per cent in March 2010, the rate for Maori has increased more sharply. In 2010, Maori were still most commonly represented in the occupational groups of plant and machine operators and assemblers, and service and sale workers. With regard to the public service, in 2009 the representation of Maori and Pacific Island people was 16 per cent and 7.4 per cent, respectively. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that provision of employment and training opportunities to Maori and Pacific Island people continues to be an area of high priority, in particular by the Tertiary Education Commission, aiming at achieving equality in employment and vocational training; the priorities for the Tertiary Education Strategy 2010–15 make specific reference to youth and under-represented groups, including Maori and Pacific Island people; in 2010, changes were introduced to the Ministry of Social Development’s Training and Opportunities Programmes aimed at improving work skills, by putting a more explicit focus on improving literacy and numeracy skills. The Government adds that the Pacific Economic Action Plan, which was launched in 2007, and the work of which places an ongoing emphasis on developing the skill of the Pacific workforce, has been reviewed and as of May 2010 was in the final stages of being updated. However, participation of Maori and Pacific Island people remains low in industry training (as of 2009, 17.2 per cent of the total trainees were Maori, 6.9 per cent were Pacific Island people), and particularly in the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme (as of 2009, 14.22 per cent of the total apprentices were Maori and 3.08 per cent were Pacific Island people). While acknowledging the Government’s continued commitment to improving the education levels of Maori and Pacific Island people and to increasing their training and employment opportunities, the Committee asks the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged to address the continuing inequalities faced by Maori and Pacific Island people in the labour market. It also asks the Government to provide information on the results achieved so far, as well as any improvements made to the various strategies, programmes and initiatives used to improve the skills levels and sustainable employment for men and women belonging to Maori and Pacific Island communities. Please also provide detailed information on the Pacific Economic Action Plan, once its update has been completed.

Access to employment and vocational training – women. The Committee notes that, while there has been some progress, the participation rates of women in courses provided by industry training organizations (ITOs) and in the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme remain low (29.2 per cent and 11.67 per cent, respectively). It also notes the Government’s indication that the low proportion of women participating in industry training is due to complex historical factors related to traditional employment patterns and the segmentation of the labour market; industries that had long-standing apprenticeship traditions tended to be male dominated. The Government is currently developing policy projects and sector initiatives to address participation rates by women in vocational training; however, the numbers of women enrolled in male-dominated trades has changed little, and the Government continues to be mindful of this fact and of the need to encourage young women of all backgrounds to consider these trades as viable areas of training and employment. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any results achieved by its efforts to extend industry training and the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme to industries in which women predominate and to encourage women’s enrolment in courses where their participation is particularly low, as well as the results achieved by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner and the Industry Training Fund to promote diversity and to promote equality of opportunity and treatment with respect to the vocational training courses offered to men and women. With respect to occupational segregation, the Committee also refers to its comments on the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100).

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.