31 July 2012

UN Committee warns NZ Government against employment law changes

A report released this weekend by the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is a direct warning to the New Zealand government that it needs to reconsider employment changes it has signaled it intends to make later this year.

Helen Kelly, CTU President says “the Committee is concerned about the proposed employment law changes to collective bargaining which will see new workers not offered collective coverage and possibly employed on inferior employment conditions undermining employment rights.”

“This high ranking UN Committee made a specific recommendation that an independent evaluation should be carried out of changes to industrial relations and collective bargaining to ensure that changes do not negatively affect women’s employment and trade unions rights.”

Helen Kelly said “these changes will impact on all workers and they will specifically have a negative impact on women workers who are more likely to change employment than men and are also likely to be on lower wages and in precarious work. Changes to welfare laws forcing solo mums into the workforce with threats of benefits cuts make these law changes doubly unfair. At least these women should have some protections when starting a new job. The changes the Government has signaled will weaken collective bargaining and make it more difficult to conclude bargaining. This will further reduce pay and conditions for New Zealand workers, especially for low paid women workers.”

“The Government has an opportunity here: is it going to continue on a path of trampling on rights and making work even harder than it is now for these workers or is it going or is it going to listen to the advice and concerns of these international experts?”

“The report also comments on other employment rights that would improve the situation of women workers including the absence of legislation regarding equal pay for work of equal value, the need for policies that will that ensure women workers are not disadvantaged by the effects of the Christchurch earthquakes and the lack of progress in implementing better paid parental leave policies.”

“The fact the that these issues are taken seriously at the international UN level shows their importance and the risk to New Zealand’s international reputation these law changes pose,” said Helen Kelly.

ENDS

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