8 June 2011

The CTU has said it is not surprised that the Prime Minister has signaled further attacks on work rights if they are elected in November.

John Key told the Seafood Industry Council conference today that the Government is planning further changes to employment law but would not say what they would be.

Peter Conway, CTU Secretary, said “we have already seen a raft of changes including removal of appeal rights against unfair dismissal, restrictions on union access to workplaces and making the fourth week of annual leave tradable for cash. There is legislation in Parliament making meal and refreshment breaks negotiable and the ACC scheme is under sustained attack.”

“The Government should spell out the further changes they are planning so that voters have a clear indication.”

“Every change enacted so far has made things tougher for workers when things were already tough from the recession.”

Peter Conway said, “the Government cannot claim that the 90 day provision has helped people into jobs. Since the Government first introduced this law youth unemployment has gone up from 17.9 percent to 27.5 percent and the number of long term unemployed has gone up from 19,200 to 40,200 people.”

“The cost of living has gone up, wages are not keeping up, and meanwhile the Government keeps attacking the rights of New Zealand workers. What we need instead is to lift incomes through a minimum wage of $15 an hour, a stronger platform for industry collective bargaining, and increases in productivity which are shared with workers.”

“Attacking work rights while giving tax cuts to those on the highest incomes is not a constructive plan for New Zealand and is fundamentally unfair.”

ENDS

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