Unions driving productivity

25 June, 2008

 

The EPMU and the Dairy Workers Union launched their joint high performance work venture, the Centre for High Performance Work, on Wednesday.

The Centre is focused on creating processes so that workers and employers can engage and use shopfloor knowledge to increase productivity and grow wages.

EPMU research officer Gemma Habens has coordinated the creation of the Centre and says it sets up a much needed support base for increasing high performance work. 

"It's really exciting that we have this approach to take out to members and employers for growing their wages and their companies together."

"The Centre's method starts by setting up joint worker/management governance groups and then analyses things like workflow and waste," says Habens, "after that the process moves to develop solutions for problems using the on the ground knowledge of union members." 

"At the heart of the approach adopted by the Centre is maximising workers' voice in the decisions that affect their daily working lives."

Currently the Centre is about to start work with a range of employers and any business that is interested in developing High Perfrmance Work practices on site should visit www.CHPW.co.nz to find out more.