Max Bradford National Industrial Relations Spokesperson

Wednesday 16 August 2000

New Zealanders paying price of ERB

New Zealanders are already paying the price for the Employment Relations Bill, and it will only get worse, National Industrial Relations spokesperson Max Bradford said today.

"The Bill being passed today is the main Government action that has spooked business and consumer confidence. There are already 10,000 fewer people in jobs today than when Labour took office.

"The Reserve Bank has confirmed today - the day the legislation is passed - that the lower consumer and business confidence has meant the deferral of spending, investment and employment.

"The Government must take full responsibility for this.

"Its attempts to get alongside business have been a dismal failure. The so-called 'charm offensive' has been an insult.

"Whichever way you look at it the legislation will make it harder to do business and create jobs.

"The multi-employer bargaining and strike provisions that go with it, extra costs from employment relations education leave, open union access to workplaces, the forced release of confidential information, constraints on talking to staff, forced union membership for those wanting to have a collective agreement are just a taste of the problems with the legislation.

"National will repeal and replace the Act with legislation that will allow employers and employees to develop productive employment relationships for the new century. Our legislation will be framed for the future and for people.

"National will be talking and working with employers over the coming months as they face the distressing reality of trying to operate under the Employment Relations Act."

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