Education leave entitlements

Finsec has just written to all the employers where Finsec members work letting them now how many days of paid employment related education leave (EREL) our members are entitled to this year. For some of our bigger employers it’s quite a lot. For instance Finsec members at Westpac are entitled between them to 88 paid employment education days and Finsec members at ANZ are entitled to 81. Even our member at some of our smallest employers, like Farmlands Trading Society and Credit Union Canterbury, are entitled to at least 3 days of paid EREL. So, chances are that if you want to learn more about being an active union member and improving your workplace, you will be entitled to paid leave to to that.

All union members are entitled to attend EREL, and you continue to be paid by your employer while on education leave. Members that have been on our courses say they have a much better understanding of Finsec afterwards and increased skills to win changes in their workplace. EREL helps build fair workplaces and a strong union, by teaching the issues and skills people need to improve their working conditions.

You can read more about Finsec’s range of EREL courses which teach about your rights at work, techniques to build Finsec membership, and skills to work to improve your workplace here.

Education course teaches union organising skills

Wellington based Finsec members from many of New Zealand’s large financial institutions attended a free Finsec education course today on organising. ‘Organising People’ is a full day course for active union members. They learn about how to build union organisation on their worksite, and how to tackle issues at work. It is one of several free courses that Finsec runs for members.

Michelle Voss, From National Bank’s Wellington South Branch has just recently been nominated to be her branch’s delegate and so was attending the course to learn how to approach people to join.

“I’d like my branch, all staff, to be Finsec members. Having a positive approach on Finsec and trying to get everybody to be active is my goal.”

Finsec’s education courses are all approved by the Department of Labour as official Employment Relations Education courses which means that they aimed at improving relationships between unions, employees and employers by increasing understanding of employment relations, especially the duty of good faith.

All union members are entitled to attend training, and are paid by their employer for the time they need to take off to attend the course. Members that have been on our courses say they have a much better understanding of the union afterwards and increased skills to win in the workplace. To register to attend one of Finsec’s education courses contact Rachel or phone 0800 FINSEC.