Delegate Achievement Awards

Delegates are workplace leaders. This award is made to workplace or enterprise level delegates (individually or as a group) who have provided outstanding leadership above and beyond the expected duties of the role by, for example: 

• demonstrating leadership during a difficult time
• providing leadership leading to significant gains for members in the workplace or enterprise
• building a union organisation from a low base or in a hostile environment
• building and maintaining union membership from a low base or in a hostile environment. 

In judging whether these criteria have been met it must be clear that the nominee(s) have played the leading role in achieving them.

Nomination does not guarantee that the delegate will be accepted for the award, so detailed and specific evidence of their achievements, including supporting documentation, will help the sector committees make an informed decision.

To see an example of what is expected click here. 

Where you have an enterprise delegate committee in your organisation you should let them know and get them to endorse the nomination. In order to avoid disappointment you may want to be careful about letting delegates know they have been nominated.

The events or actions that have led to the nomination being made would normally have occurred in the two years prior to the date of nomination, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The Marlene Pitman Award has been created in honour of Marlene Pitman who passed away on 16 January 2010. Marlene was 25 years a PSA member and activist at Child Youth and Family. She was convenor of the social services sector committee and an executive board member for 2 years, a dedicated delegate for 23 years and a hardworking member of Te Komiti o Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Āwhina.

This award not only honours Marlene’s contribution to the union but provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution of other Māori delegates and representatives to the PSA and its members.

The Marlene Pitman award recognises Māori delegates within Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Āwhina rūnanga structures and/or the general union representative structures at workplace, enterprise level and at sector level (individually or as a group) who have provided outstanding leadership above and beyond the expected duties of the role they occupy by, for example:

• Rangatiratanga – empowering Māori leadership
• Whanaungatanga – developing workplaces that meet the needs of Māori both as individuals and collectively and recognise a specifically Māori voice in high engagement processes
• Kaitiakitanga – leading work that secures specific working conditions and cultural identity for Māori in the workplace
• Manaakitanga – leading work that promotes health and well-being for Māori in the workplace.
• Wairuatanga – promoting the right for Māori to be Māori in the workplace
• Whakahiato Umanga – promoting career development for Māori
• Whakamana – developing effective Māori organisation in their workplace including growing Māori membership from a low base in a difficult environment
• Kotahitanga – building solidarity and unity both among Māori members and between Māori and the wider PSA membership

In judging whether these criteria have been met it must be clear that the nominee(s) have played the leading role in achieving them. The events or actions that have led to the nomination being made would normally be reasonably current but it is recognised that in some circumstances historical recognition may be appropriate.

A delegate may receive the award more than once.