Govt bulldozing through unworkable employment laws

Media statement Wednesday, August 2nd, 2006

Government bulldozing through unworkable employment laws

Parliament's Select Committee has ignored business pleas to make sure the bungle over vulnerable employees in the 2004 Employment Relations Act will work this time, says David Lowe, Employment Services Manager for the Northern Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern).

"The Select Committee is bulldozing through a law change that contains the same problems as the original law," Mr Lowe said.

"Business tried to operate this law before the courts ruled its drafting had been bungled, and we told the Committee what the problems were.

"By assuming business operates in a certain way the Bill is about to get it all horribly wrong again. Employers are wondering why the Government is making the same mistake twice knowing the problems they will create especially for smaller businesses.

"It is naïve to assume businesses will volunteer commercially sensitive information to their competitors, on such as rosters.

"Government is assuming a business losing part of its income to someone else will also give that person a cheque to cover the cost of sick leave of staff who transfer to the new employer.

"The sick leave may never be taken but the new business would get to keep the money anyway.

"It is wrong to push through a law that creates more problems than it solves, irrespective of whether you agree with its purpose."

ENDS

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