Isaac Te Rito says he used to live day-to-day but for the first time in a decade, he's working full-time and now has something to wake up for. The 57-year-old works as a kiwifruit and avocado orchard management post-harvest operator. ''Look, I have $20 and tomorrow is payday. Ihave money in the bank, my cupboards are full, the freezer is stacked and my power bill is up to date.'' Te Rito was just one success story, as labour market data shows the Māori unemployment rate is at the lowest it has been since modern records began in 1986.
Well done, Isaac! Congratulations on your great job. An excellent good-news story. Working provides a sense of purpose, achievement and pride. - Andy G
What a great story. It's so good to hear about success and restoration of pride. - Dianne M
A company owner employed 52 new people ... but lost 54 to poaching. That was just one issue discussed at the Constructive NZ Construction Forum in Rotorua on August 25, led by the Master Builders Association. Skilled labour shortages, staff retention and health and wellbeing were discussed by expert panellists in front of industry members. These were some of the key findings in the State of the Sector commissioned by Registered Master Builders which found cost escalation, supply chain disruption, and skill shortages were the top three critical challenges facing the sector.
Skilled labour shortages, staff retention and health and wellbeing were some of the key findings in the State of the Sector commissioned by Registered Master Builders. Photo / Jason Oxenham
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Welcome to the new employment age which has become supercharged under this government, without immigration and a lot of it things won't change, particularly with the growing ratio of old to young and the West's move towards socialism which, good or bad, is a disincentive to hard work. All my kids are off overseas and if it wasn't for an older generation that needs looking after I would join them. - Geoff W
Like all sectors of the workplace, you need to treat staff well, pay them well and not think you are Basil Fawlty when managing workers and then you will keep workers. Too often employers say how well they treat their staff but the true picture can be gained by asking the staff or looking at staff turnover. Sure wages are part of it and you will probably never be able to compete with the larger economies like Australia and the US so you must compete in other ways and that does not mean whining to the government to let you bring in low-paid workers from the third world. They need the workers they have trained themselves who can be paid at minimum rates. - John H
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