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Sick leave could be straw man to disguise changes
Sick leave could be the straw man to disguise severity of other changes
The CTU President Helen Kelly today told students at Otago University not to be surprised or sucked in if the Government’s proposal to allow employers to request a doctor’s note for any day of sickness is withdrawn or amended.
“This proposal is so unworkable that it is probable the Government has thrown it into a package of very real and serious reductions in work rights so that it can withdraw it and look moderate later,” Helen Kelly said. It has used this tactic before and it has worked for them, she said. While the sick leave proposal, if implemented, will cause real hardship for workers when they or their children are unwell, it could be a distraction to hide the harsh reality of the other changes proposed.
“The proposal to remove the right to appeal unfair dismissal in the first 90 days and others such as removing the primary remedy of reinstatement for unfair dismissal for example will have extreme effects on employment security and fairness at work. The proposal to reduce the right of workers to access their union at work will reduce wages and conditions as it did in the 1990s.”
“John Key has developed a political tactic of announcing policy changes which often include a real clanger, such as this sick leave requirement, to give him room to move later and look like the reasonable politician. These back-downs are then used to disguise the seriousness of what is actually implemented. I am saying that NZ workers should be alert to this and not be fooled if it occurs.”
“The current law on sick leave states that the employer can already require a doctor’s certificate for absence of even one or two days provided they have reasonable grounds for believing any sickness is not genuine. The Government unbelievably wants to remove any requirement for the employer to be reasonable in such circumstances.”
Helen Kelly cited examples such as the ACC motor bike levy, which was initially hiked to a punitive level before a smaller increase was implemented following protests. The proposal to mine Schedule 4 conservation land was similarly ditched after public outcry while increased prospecting was allowed in other parts of the conservation estate. Other scaremongering and backtracking on foreign investment rules and the Super City show that this tactic is well worn and the public should be on the lookout for the straw man in this round of employment law attacks.
ENDS
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Te Kauae Kaimahi
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.
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