Fairness and public value
The Big Picture: a summary of the PSA strategies for fairness and public value.
Bargaining for fair pay and decent work
Click here for the PSA's bargaining strategies.
Democracy at work
Democracy at Work: the PSA's strategic agenda for decent work, high-performing workplaces and public value.
Partnership for Quality
Partnership for Quality recognises the common interest of employers and the PSA in building successful and innovative public sector.
Commitment to sustainability
The PSA is committed to
sustainability, "development which meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
The PSA – New Zealand’s public sector union
The PSA – the Public Service Association Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi – is a democratic union representing the interests of around 57,000 members working in government departments, local government, the health sector, crown agencies, state-owned enterprises and community and government-funded agencies.
Purpose
The PSA’s objective is to build union organisation able to influence the political, economic, industrial and social environments in the interests of the membership of the PSA.
Fair pay and good jobs
Collective bargaining is one of the key ways in which PSA members can work together to improve their living standards and the quality of working life.
The PSA bargains for members in over 400 organisations that, between them, represent the full breadth and diversity of the public sector. Each sector has its own particular needs and the PSA has bargaining strategies that respond to these.
Strong union organisation
Effective recruitment and strong delegate structures are at the heart of union organisation in the workplace.
The PSA has nearly 4000 workplace delegates and runs a comprehensive programme of delegate development, including a series of courses on the skills and knowledge needed for the job.
Democracy at work
Democracy at Work is the PSA’s strategic agenda that takes Partnership for Quality to new levels. It places a strong emphasis on high-quality, democratic workplaces – decent work, decent workplaces – as the key to lifting productivity and public value.
Partnership for Quality: Fairness and Public Value
Partnership recognises the mutual interests of union members and employers in building strong and sustainable public services. It is based on good faith and engagement on issues and the search for solutions.
In 2007, the PSA signed a third Partnership for Quality agreement with the Government and public service employers. The first two agreements laid the groundwork for better and more productive relationships. The third agreement was designed to give union members a stronger voice through effective delegate structures and workplace partnership agreements.
In 2008 the National-led Government declined to continue with a partnership agreement with the PSA. The union, however, remains committed to constructive engagement with the Government and employers at all levels
Tripartite engagement
The Partnership for Quality agreement provided for a tripartite forum of Government, the PSA and public service employers to consult on matters affecting union members and public service delivery.
The forum was an important opportunity to promote the interests of union members and led to tangible benefits such as workplace-based retirement savings and the pay and employment equity agenda. The forum is now defunct as a result of the Government's refusal to enter into partnership with the union.
However, in the health sector, the PSA and other CTU health unions are working with district health boards to tackle problems in hospitals by getting managers and workers to work together more effectively.