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March-April 2006
President's Column
Those of you who have been members of Finsec for a while now will notice the last two years have brought some significant changes, material, procedural and attitudinal, to our union.
We’ve come a long way and accomplished a lot in the last years. We are now on an even financial footing and can now live within our income. We have all had significant industrial success and unprecedented media exposure. Our members are once again daring to hope for positive changes within our industry and at last more of us are prepared to get active to effect these changes.
Most of this hope and activity has been stimulated by strong workplace activists like yourselves.
I know that my association with this union, the mental stimulation, the wonderful opportunities I have been given and the knowledge that I can make a difference has helped me overcome many difficulties that may, at other times, have seemed insurmountable.
We have come a long way, but we still have many gathering challenges. We see John Howard’s ‘labour reforms’ across the Tasman. We see outsourcing and off-shoring are beginning again in New Zealand. We see the lives of many sacrificed for the lifestyle and short-term profit of a few already wealthy investors.
What can we do? Get involved – stand up for your beliefs – lead and mentor others to do the same. The trade union movement, from workplace members like us, right up to the President of the Council of Trade Unions, operates on people power. And we, you and me, are the people.
We have still got work to do, and no doubt always will have, I can’t help but feeling just a little bit smug about our achievements. And you should too. Hats off to you, you’re a great bunch of people.
Sue Boraston
Finsec National President
