Labour to vote secret ballot Bill to select committee

Labour will support the first reading today of a member’s bill requiring unions to hold a secret ballot vote of their members to approve a strike before undertaking any action, Labour Issues spokesman Trevor Mallard said today.

The bill, by National Party MP Tau Henare, seeks to insert the requirement into the Employment Relations Act 2000.

“Labour has no objections in principle to this Bill progressing to select committee, because it largely reflects current practice.” Trevor Mallard said.

“Very few unions use a ‘show of hands’ strike vote these days – the vast majority are comfortable with secret ballots because they are fairer and more democratic and do not represent an erosion of workers’ rights.

“Labour will be using the select committee process to ensure that as well as decision systems being fair for unions they are fair for employers which would involve boards rather than just chief executives making decisions to lock out workers,” Trevor Mallard said.

ENDS

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