AGE OkAy!Unions promoting skills and experience

ContactsCouncil of Trade Unions, Helpline 0800 MY UNION (0800 698 6466), http://union.org.nz/

Equal Employment Opportunities Trust, http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/

Human Right Commission, http://www.hrc.co.nz/

NZ Labour Department, http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/

NZ Retirement Commmission. http://www.retirement.org.nz

Sources and further readingValuing Experience – a practical guide to recruiting and retaining older workers. Top Drawer Consultants. 2008.

McGregor, Judy. Lifeswork – Celebrating Older Workers in New Zealand. Human Rights Commission. 2005

Wilson, Marie and Jordan Kan. Barriers to entry for the older worker. University of Auckland Business School. 2006

McGregor, Judy and Lance Gray. Older Worker Employment Transition. Massey University, Palmerston North. 2003.

McGregor, Judy and Lance Gray. Mature Job Seekers in New Zealand. Massey University, Palmerston North. 2001.

Age: Why? UK Department for Work and Pensions in partnership with Trade Unions. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/age-positive/

The Working Patterns of Older Workers (Summary). NZ Department of Labour. http://dol.govt.nz/publications/research/working-patterns/working-patterns-summary.pdf

Exploring the optionsUnions and employers can explore ways of doing things such as:

• Focusingonperformance,notage

• Makingsurephysicalrequirementsarerelevanttothe job

• Focusingontheresult,nothowitisachieved

• Changingmanagementculturetovalueskillsandexperience

• Educatingmanagerstoincludeandconsultwithworkers

• Notassumingthatallolderworkersarealike

• Providingequalaccesstoopportunities

RightsAge discrimination in employment is unlawful under the Human Rights Act 1993 and this applies to everyone aged 16 years and over.

It is illegal to discriminate in advertising, shortlisting or access to normal workplace benefits such as training and promotion.

Job applicants do not have to provide their age.

Older workers may ask about their entitlement to flexible work if they care for dependants.

Workers do not have to retire at any specific age such as 65 years and an employer cannot force them to retire.

What is important to me is to be kept informed so I can make my own choices, not to be told that because I’m older I can’t do things.

Georgina Kerr, review officer for the Education Review Office, PSA delegate, PSA runanga and executive board member.

An ageing population, a falling

birthrate, skills shortages

and low productivity create a

corresponding need among

employers for the skills,

qualities and experience

of older workers; yet a

failure to acknowledge the

changing demographic, along

with age stereotyping and

discrimination, sometimes gets

in the way.

Unions, the best advocatesUnions can help older workers to stand up for their rights. They can support informal negotiations for more responsive workplaces. They can also include in bargaining the need to:

• Includeexperience-relatedskillsinjob-competencies,such as mentoring and dealing with older clients

• Maketrainingandcareerprogressionavailabletoallworkers

• Consultwithworkersandbeinclusive

• Makeavailablearangeofflexibleoptions,includingreduced hours

• Promoteanactivework-lifebalancepolicy

• Runaneffectivehealthandsafetyprogramme

With younger workers coming on you can probaby explain things in simpler terms than what managers can because you’re doing the job and they’re not and I think that’s important.George Taylor, train manager.

Work culture leaner and meaner.

George Taylor, 66, train manager, Masterton — RMTU

George has worked for rail for over 45 years. He enjoys his work, although it is more demanding than it was.

‘I think the whole work culture has changed. You’ve got

managers now that have never worked in rail. It’s become a leaner, meaner machine. Dealing with the public is very hard at times. Maturity and experience

has helped a lot. You understand people better. You mellow a lot.’

How do you keep ‘em?

Marie Habowska, 48, staff nurse and radiology nurse, Wellington — NZNO

After 14 years in neonatal intensive care, Marie studied to add radiology to her nursing career. Now she

works one day with neonates and three in radiology. ‘The study was hard, but I needed a change. Neonatal intensive care is rostered and rotating shift work and as an older worker I’m less able to do that. I really love it. I’ve got the skills. So how can clinical work be enabled for an older worker with heaps of experience? How do you keep ‘em?’

We’re individuals, too.

Georgina Kerr, 63, review officer for Education Review Office, Auckland — PSA

Alongside challenging work Georgina is also a union delegate, convenor of the PSA runanga and a PSA executive member.

She believes that older workers bring experience and institutional knowledge to the workplace. ‘They can train, mentor and alleviate risks for new workers. Employers should offer support, such as regular health and eye checks, and courses to help with the transition between work and retirement, while remembering that not all older workers need them or wish to reduce the size of their jobs.’

Moving to retirementIn order to keep experience and skills in the workplace employers and workers need to explore together how to make work more attractive for workers nearing retirement and how to smooth the transition between fulltimeworkandretirement.Fewpeoplewanttogostraight from full time work to retirement.

Like all workers, older workers want to have:•Qualitypart-timework•Flexibleworkingarrangements•Alow-stressworkenvironment•Theirexperienceneededandwanted•Goodpay•Thechancetomakeadifference•Challenging,interestingandvariedwork•Theabilitytotakeextendedleaveandthenreturn

Do employers expect to keep us older workers or will they simply import skills? What is the plan really?Marie Habowska, staff nurse and radiology nurse.