Labour-hire firm adopts ethical standards in landmark move

Labour-hire firm adopts ethical standards in landmark move

Along with a growing number of businesses requesting more ethical workforce solutions and evidence of loopholes in labour-hire law that allows the gross exploitation of hard-working New Zealanders, FIRST Union, the largest union representing labour-hire workers, is pleased to announce labour-hire firm Enterprise Recruitment has signed on as the first company to be an ethical employer in the labour-hire workspace.

The union is commending Enterprise Recruitment for the company’s adoption of ethical labour-hire standards. The union and the labour-hire firm have together developed a set of five core principles to ensure that labour-hire workers’ ability to enforce their rights is not compromised. The deal was signed at FIRST Union’s biennial conference today in Auckland.

FIRST Union’s Transport Logistics and Manufacturing Secretary, Jared Abbott, says Enterprise Recruitment’s decision to adopt the principles highlighted the level of respect the company had for its field workers.

“There is a place for genuine labour-hire arrangements, however we have seen employers use the process to circumvent traditional employment at the expense of vulnerable workers. Enterprise Recruitment is the first labour-hire firm to ever sign up to a set of Ethical Standards of this nature in New Zealand.”

Enterprise Recruitment Director Warwick Neutze says Enterprise Recruitment is pleased to have worked in close cooperation with FIRST Union to develop the standard.
“The core principles of this agreement are in line with our goals of valuing people and partnerships and our genuine desire to find people a role that improves their life, and we see this as confirming our commitment to putting the welfare of our workers first.”

With a growing number of businesses requesting more ethical workforce solutions and evidence of loopholes in labour-hire law that allows the gross exploitation of hard-working New Zealanders, FIRST Union is hoping more companies will adopt similar principles in how they engage third-party labour.

The standards support third party labour being engaged in a professional and lawful way that works in the best interest of the worker, the customer, and the employer.

The basis of the five core principles are:
• Workers should be treated appropriately and not as day-by-day workers
• Labour-hire workers should not be contracted out in a way which undermines their rights under the Employment Relations Act
• Workers should be entitled to a relevant and fair rate of pay pertaining to the work they are performing.
• Labour-hire workers must have the opportunity to contribute to a collective voice
• Appropriate resources should be allocated to ensure worker and industry standards are maintained; training, education, auditing and enforcement, health initiatives, skills development and recognition, and appropriate company standards ranking systems must all be adequately resourced to give labour-hire workers access to a safe, fair and engaging work environment.

ENDS

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