Hon Tony Ryall MP National Party Courts Spokesman & Dr Wayne Mapp MP National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman

15 June 2005

More payback for Labour's union mates

Labour is using taxpayers' money to help fund the coffers of its union mates, say National MPs Tony Ryall and Wayne Mapp.

The MPs are today releasing papers which show how the Labour government is offering bribes for people to join unions.

Courts and Work and Income staff are being offered large one-off payments if they are union members by certain dates. If the staff members refuse to join the union, they do not qualify for the payouts.

"This is compulsory unionism by chequebook. With the pressure of rising costs on family budgets, many people will be forced to join a union to get the extra money on offer.

"Courts staff are being offered a one-off payment of $640 if they are PSA union members by June 17th.

"This offer (part of a two year deal) is exclusive to PSA union members and is not being offered to those who have chosen not to join the union... unless they join by the 17th that is!

"PSA union dues are $300 a year. So almost all the money ends up going straight into the bucket of Labour's loyal water-carriers, the PSA.

"Last month, Work and Income staff were offered a one-off payment of $1,200 plus two days extra leave to those who were union members by May 13. No such offer was made to non-union members doing exactly the same work," says Mr Ryall.

National's Industrial Relations Spokesman Wayne Mapp described the one-off payouts as as "underhand payback for the union's loyal support for Labour.

"The Work and Income deal is in fact a breach of the department's own workplace policies which say there should be no pay discrimination between union and non-union members.

"Any non-union Work and Income staffer would certainly win a case taken under the department's own personal grievance policy," says Dr Mapp.

ENDS

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