F E A T U R E
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from
T H E J O B S L E T T E R 0 6 8
a subscriber-based letter
published in New Zealand 3 November 1997
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F E E D B A C K
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COALITION GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT STRATEGIES
The Employment Implementation Steering Group has reported
back on the recent public submissions about the coalition
government's new employment strategies.
The Group (chaired by Alf Kirk) canvassed specific responses to
the proposed government policies, and how they will be
implemented at a local level. They received over 200 submissions
from individuals and organisations around the country.
In this special feature, The Jobs Letter gives an essential
summary of the Employment Implementation Group's analysis of the
submissions, and also feature some of the comments made in the
consultation process.
SUMMARY
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* The consultation process was based around a series of
specific questions relating to regional delivery of employment
and training services, proposals for community work and training,
and also the concept of a community wage replacing the dole.
* The Group's report states that a number of submissions,
mainly from voluntary groups, unemployed workers' groups and
unions, set their comments about the government's strategy in a
wider context of how the government is addressing unemployment
itself. They argued that unemployment is structural and should be
recognised in macro-economic policy. Most of these respondents
favoured implementing policies designed to create more jobs
alongside, or in place of, the 'workfare' policies.
* Regional delivery. Agreement on the objectives of regional
delivery was high. Respondents generally agreed with the
objectives set out in the Local Government NZ submission (see
box, below). Most groups supported the view that regional
delivery should focus on appropriateness and responsiveness to
regional differences while ensuring consistency in delivery and
regulations across the country.
* Size and number of regions. Opinion was divided on how this
should be determined and the report found no clear pattern from
different sector groups. A third of the submissions favoured
regions based on population numbers, particularly the number of
unemployed in the region, and natural geographic boundaries. A
quarter of the submissions put most emphasis on 'community of
interest' as the basis for regions. Other common proposals were
to base the regions on current local body boundaries, or adopting
current government agency boundaries such as those used by NZES
or ETSA.
* Allocation of funding. Almost all submissions agreed that
funds should be allocated to regions on the basis of need. And a
number of respondents also argued that the region's capacity to
generate "real jobs" should be taken into account. Almost
two-thirds of the submissions were in favour of distributing
funds on a population basis, weighted by the number of unemployed
in the region. Several submissions argued for a distinction
between the way in which funds were allocated for training and
for community work.
* National functions. The great majority of submissions
thought that national functions should be delivered by all
regions in the same way, particularly in setting standards,
accountability and ensuring the consistency of outcomes.
* Regional Employment Committees. Suggestions on the role of
these committees were varied and often non-specific. A third of
the submissions suggested the committees have a liaison, co-
ordination and advisory role. A fifth saw them in a strategic
planning role with varying degrees of hands-on responsibility.
Most submissions favoured a wide representation on the
Committees, including representatives of business and industry,
community and voluntary organisations, Maori and Pacific
Islanders, schools, Private Training Providers, local
authorities, government departments, and unions.
* Community work and training. A majority of submissions
favoured an inclusive approach to community work, rather than
narrowly defining the group of unemployed being able to take up
this option. The same applied to questions on who should be
available for training. Many education and training providers and
voluntary groups favoured the opening up of current eligibility
criteria for training.
* Making it mandatory. The submissions were evenly divided
over whether or not community work and training should be
mandatory. Generally in favour of the mandatory policy were most
local authorities, Local Employment Co-ordination Committees,
employer and industry groups. Unemployed worker's groups,
voluntary organisations and groups representing people with
disabilities were generally in favour of voluntary options.
* The submissions overwhelmingly agreed that community
work should be just that -- work that benefits the community.
* Displacement of existing paid work. About a third of the
submissions did not or could not answer this question, and simply
agreed that displacement should not happen. Those who did make
suggestions favoured monitoring projects and/or employers, having
the Regional Committees set criteria, manage selection and
approve projects, and also keeping the work in the non-profit
sector.
* Community Wage. The submissions expressed
overwhelming support for setting the community wage at a level
higher than a comparable benefit. They mentioned the need for an
incentive or inducement to participate as a reason for setting
the higher level, and also the additional costs associated with
the work or training involved.
* Opinion was strongly in favour of treating the community
wage as a wage, ie. payment for work and training undertaken,
rather than as a 'benefit'.
(sidebar)
"If the economic environment is hostile to employment growth,
then the justification of workfare to keep unemployed
'work-ready' is compromised. Current policies contribute to an
environment where employment is an implicit instrument of
economic management and the quality of employment deteriorates."
-- NZ Council of Trade Unions
"We believe that macro-economic policy is primarily responsible
for unemployment. Unemployment, along with casual, insecure and
poor quality employment, is inevitable in a free market where
state assets continue to be privatised; government's focus is
primarily on reducing debt and taxes; industry training and
skills development is voluntary and uncoordinated and employment
rights and protections have been eroded through deregulation of
the labour market. Unless these issues are addressed, attempts to
reduce unemployment will fail ..." -- Federation of Voluntary
Welfare Organisations (Inc)
"Blanket, low-cost per participant, compulsory schemes have
little value to the government or the participant. They have
negative impacts on a variety of stakeholders including community
groups, the clients and staff of community groups, the government
and the unemployed ..." -- Downtown Community Ministry
"We are concerned that workfare will undermine genuine
volunteer work and create barriers for volunteering."
-- Dunedin Volunteer Centre Trust
OBJECTIVES OF REGIONAL DELIVERY OF EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES
(box)
-- as proposed by the Local Government New Zealand
submission
* develop and resource regionally-appropriate initiatives for
dealing with long-term unemployment and its effects
* provide an interface between local community organisations
and agencies, including local authorities and central government
* co-ordinate planning between agencies, trusts,
organisations, business and local authorities
* recognise and complement employment objectives in Local
Authority Annual and Strategic Plans where they exist
* tailor-make interventions that provide solutions specific
to each region that are also measurable quality programmes
* enable higher levels of resource leveraging through
participation in local communities and Territorial Local
Authorities in programme design and implementation
* ensure that resources are appropriately allocated to
regional needs
* ensure that the proposed work is meaningful to the
individual concerned
* add value to community-based employers and businesses
* ensure that proposals are economically neutral in their
implementation (ie. avoid distortion of local economies)and allow
for the participation of community organisations, businesses and
local government
* ensure that the proposals do not displace or crowd out
existing or permanent jobs
* ensure that the training programmes develop the job-ready
skills of the long-term unemployed, while recognising and
utilising existing skills and may include on-job training
* target priority groups over-represented within
unemployment statistics
* ensure that proposals contribute to local economic
development.
V O I C E S
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Here are some of the comments made in the submissions to the
"questions for consultation":
* REGIONAL DELIVERY
1. What should be the objectives of regional delivery?
"Equal opportunities for all community sectors, to be impartial,
offer equity, ensure privacy and confidentiality, recognise the
unique employment factors of the region, be receptive to Kaupapa
Maori, recognise the individuality of each client, provide an
environment which allows a holistic cultural approach to
solutions for Maori long- term unemployed through positive
discrimination ..." -- submission from seven Maori groups
"Provide assistance to individuals on a case-by-case basis as
relevant to the needs of the individual and to minimise the level
of time spent out of the workforce. Assistance provided must be
cost-effective in terms of overall outcomes and minimise
displacement effects and dead-weight costs." -- NZ Employers
Federation
2. What do you believe should be the basis for determining the
size, and consequently, the number of regions?
"The basis for determining the size and number of regions should
be geographical distances. It is not considered workable to set
up regions as Health have done because each province is uniquely
different and what is good for Christchurch is not good for the
West Coast of the South Island or Invercargill." -- Southland
Enterprises Inc.
"Regional Commissioners should not just be appointed to cover
geographical areas, they should also be appointed to cover
specific communities for whom long-term unemployment is an issue
..." -- NZ Manufacturers Federation
3. On what basis should funds be allocated in the region?
"Enough funds should be allocated to cater for the region's needs
and be granted for triennial periods." -- REAP Marlborough
"Maori and Pacific Islands people should be weighted by an extra
factor of 40% since much structural adult unemployment is among
these groups..." --NZ Catholic Education Office
"Funding should contain a strong element of outcome-based
criteria reflecting the needs and opportunities in the region.
That is, successful schemes should be expanded in preference to
unsuccessful ones..." -- Federated Farmers of NZ
4. How should funds be distributed?
"A set allocation needs to be available for each region to cover
management costs with discretionary funding allocated on
population and unemployment levels. A bid for funds on the basis
of outcomes could be punitive in rural areas where there are few
employment opportunities..." -- Abel Tasman Educational Trust
"As a baseline, say 70% of available funds, distributed on the
basis of general population, weighted by unemployment levels. The
balance, say 30% contestable for innovative projects involving
identified target groups and reinforcing and building on
successful projects. -- DPA (New Zealand) Inc
5. Should there continue to be a set of national functions which
are delivered by all regions in the same way? If so, what would
these be?
"Whether or not the same national functions remain in place,
there needs to be some continuation of their focus, for example,
the priority risk groups of Maori, Pacific Islanders, women and
rural/urban disadvantaged. The administrative/operational
procedures of handling job seekers should be nationally
consistent. That is, they enrol, interview, report and advance in
the same way from one end of the country to the other..." --CBT
Systems Applied Learning
6. What should be the role of the proposed Regional Employment
Committees?
"Research and analysis of submitted schemes, establish systems to
assess schemes as they progress, assess completed schemes,
prepare local guidelines. Must have control of funding. Should
have autonomy to select schemes. Ensure existing workers and jobs
are not displaced..." -- National Council of Women in NZ
"To be the focus for community interest and action on employment
and work-related issues. To facilitate the co-operation of
agencies of local, regional and central government. To be the
sounding board for local ideas, strategies and plans. To set the
local agenda for action. To provide the accountability mechanism
for the Regional Employment Commissioner." -- Manawatu Employment
Action Group
"We do not agree with the Regional Employment Committees. This is
a concept that has been tried and proven to be ineffective under
the different schemes such as REAC, STEPS and TAPS." -- Pacific
Island Training Providers of NZ Inc
7. Who should be represented on the regional committees?
"Those who are aware of the community's and the unemployed's
needs. Must include those who have experienced unemployment and
those who in their daily work are faced with the repercussions of
unemployment eg. social agencies. Also representatives of
different groups involved in the area of unemployment and
employment. Nominees determined by the local community." --
Maureen Ries of Eltham
"More discussion is needed about the process by which people get
appointed to the committee. REAC members were appointed by the
government and usually had close connections to the party in
government. This is unavoidable to some extent but different
sectors should nominate their own representatives..." -- YMCA
* COMMUNITY WORK AND TRAINING
1. Who should be available to engage in Community Work? Who
should be available to engage in training?
"The sheer size of the unemployment register means that some
arbitrary criteria must be used to try and screen those for whom
community work would be the most appropriate. It would probably
be appropriate to concentrate on long-term unemployment first.
The sheer size of the unemployment register would suggest that
within this group it would probably be useful to start with
volunteers. People who want to go on such programmes are likely
to contribute the most, and gain some benefits from
participating..." -- The Employers Federation
" Community work and training should be mutually interchangeable
alternatives, depending upon the identified needs of the person
seeking or requiring assistance. Community training should
therefore be available to all those who seek this assistance..."
-- The Salvation Army Training and Employment programme
2. Should Community Work be mandatory? Should training be
mandatory? If so, for whom?
"Yes, especially for those registered 26 weeks or longer provided
appropriate training is available and the work is accessible (eg.
travel is available)." -- Hawkes Bay Community Work Trust
"Our information is that historically, compulsory attendance at
either work or training schemes has not achieved a successful
outcome for the participant. Further, unwilling participants can
often be a disruptive influence or even sabotage the entire
programme for other participants." -- Youth Works
"It depends on the quality and 'good fit' of the training. The
best option would be to have a client-centred scheme in which
local provision offers a wide range of options ..." -- Department
of Social Work, University of Canterbury
3. What types of activity should qualify as Community Work?
"Any activity that will be of benefit or improve the life of
people within the community, while at the same time community
work should advance the position of those involved. Include
school-based, marae-based, sports club-based, church-based work
programmes. Should include an element of
training/education/upskilling..." -- Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust
"We stress our view that if funding is made available it would be
far more beneficial to offer the work on the open market creating
genuine employment and offering considerable efficiencies over a
government-administered work scheme." -- Just Dollars
"Current government funding has made all possible sectors of
community work subject to contestable funding. There is a real
danger that the introduction of community work agencies will give
significant competitive advantage to those employing workers
under the proposed scheme. There is no field of social or
community work that can be funded without this becoming a
problem..." -- YMCA
4. What types of training activity should qualify?
"Anything that leads to full-time employment."
--Raukawa Development Trust
"Training should only be introduced that is linked to the NZ
Qualification Framework. This is very important if unemployed
people are going to gain value for their effort..." -- North
Otago Council of Social Services
"Training under the employment schemes should be linked to and
utilise industry training standards set by industry training
organisations..." --NZ Contractors' Federation
5. What is the best way of ensuring that Community Work does not
displace existing or prospective paid work?
"You're dreaming! It is dishonest to suggest this programme will
not displace paid work given the lack of funding of the community
sector..." -- Enhancing Potential ITO
"I believe 10-20% of community work will replace existing low
skills workers no matter how careful we are. However, extra
employment will be created at this level in supervising and
administering community work..." -- Vocational Skills
International
"Ensure there are effective monitoring systems in place -- put
the emphasis on projects in the community that targets areas that
cannot afford them.." -- Auckland Central Group LEC
* COMMUNITY WAGE
1. Should Community Wage levels be set higher, lower or about the
same as comparable benefit levels?
"So long as the scheme is not compulsory, the community wage must
be at least the minimum wage otherwise it isn't a wage. The net
amount paid weekly to the worker must exceed the benefit at a
level which will provide a realistic incentive. The unemployment
benefit must remain for people who are out of work." --
Canterbury Volunteer Centre
"Should be set higher to encourage the job seeker to participate
in positive and financially rewarding work experience. Care
should be taken not to overly penalise those who are seriously
job-seeking and would prefer to spend time doing so rather than
community work or training..." -- Ian Black and Terina Paul
2. Should the Community Wage be more like a wage or a benefit?
"For attitudinal reasons -- self esteem and dignity -- the
community wage should be seen as a wage paid for valued
assistance to people or improvements to the environment where
they live. Community wage projects should be conceived and
presented as opportunities for enhancing the quality of life of
the people in the community and region and those who visit it."
-- Hamilton Workshops and Training Centre
"We do not see the same need to have a higher benefit for
participants in training. They are gaining the benefits of
qualifications which will help them in the future. The current
situation, where students receive an additional travel allowance,
works well. Other students have to pay to do training." -- YMCA
"You pay the person a wage for doing a job. Housing
allowances, rent allowance etc should be separate issues but
based on the new wage structure." -- Company Rebuilders Trust
"When unemployed people are required to take up work
positions on pain of loss or reduction of benefit (in any sector)
such jobs must be full-time and waged. Of course at this point
the person is in no longer in receipt of a benefit..." --
Auckland Unemployed Workers Rights Centre
"The scheme will need to be in the nature of an employment
relationship with the government, with the core benefit being
characterised as a community wage. Add-ons for dependants,
accommodation costs etc will need to remain as part of the
welfare system..." -- NZ Manufacturers Federation
Source -- "Analysis of Public Submissions on Government
Employment Strategy" for the Employment Implementation Steering
Group (June 1997) available from EISG at P.O.Box 1115, Wellington
C R E D I T S
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edited by Vivian Hutchinson for the Jobs Research Trust
P.O.Box 428, New Plymouth, New Zealand
phone 06-753-4434 fax 06-759-4648
Internet address -- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The Jobs Letter -- an essential information and media watch on
jobs, employment, unemployment, the future of work, and related
economic and education issues.
The Jobs Research Trust -- a not-for-profit Charitable Trust
constituted in 1994 to develop and distribute information that
will help our communities create more jobs and reduce
unemployment and poverty in New Zealand.
Our internet website at
http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/
contains our back issues and key papers,
and hotlinks to other internet resources.
ends
------
The Jobs Letter
essential information on an essential issue
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
phone 06-753-4434 fax 06-759-4648
P.O.Box 428
New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
visit The Jobs Research Website at
http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/
