Shop worker disappointed with employment vote today

Shop worker Margaret Dornan is gutted that Parliament has ignored her submission on employment law changes, being debated in Parliament this afternoon.

Margaret said that she and several other members of the National Distribution Union (NDU) wrote personal submissions and presented their stories to MPs at the select committee.

“I’m really disappointed that we weren’t listened to. National said at the elections that were going to look after the workers, but these changes are totally against workers having a fair go.”

“Without workers you haven’t got a business, and it is unfair for businesses to get rid of workers after 90 days for no good reason at all.”

NDU General Secretary Robert Reid said that 4,000 members of the union had attended 31 meetings in August and September to hear about the proposals to weaken their work rights, and NDU members were among the 22,000 workers that joined the joint union day of action on 20 October against the law changes.

“NDU members are especially concerned about restrictions on workers’ access to their union at work, the 90 day trial period with no employment rights, the selling off of the fourth weeks leave and allowing employers to require a doctor’s certificate for just one day off sick.”

Robert Reid said workers in rural areas in particular spoke out against the ridiculousness of the sick note proposal.

“Our members on the West Coast said that it can take up to 3 weeks to get a doctor's appointment. This view was shared by workers in many other areas such as Whakatane and Gisborne.”

Robert Reid said that the NDU would continue to play an active part in the union movement’s community campaign against these changes.

Ends.

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