MEDIA RELEASE 14 June 2002
CTU happy to assist employers grappling with ERA
The Council of Trade unions has offered to work with any employers having difficulty coming to terms with the collective
bargaining under the Employment Relations Act.
A small survey conducted by the Employers and Manufacturers Association has revealed some employers are finding it
difficult to accept the increase in and more employee focussed benefits of collective bargaining.
“I think there is a bit of a problem because some employers are still in the more authoritarian mindset of the 1990’s,”
CTU president Ross Wilson said.
“Employers have to come to terms with the reality that collective bargaining is a human right guaranteed by
international law and is here to stay.
“It doesn’t help that some employer associations insist on conducting loaded little surveys as part of their ongoing
political campaign against the Act.”
Ross Wilson said the ERA did require a new approach and new processes and the CTU was happy to work with employers and
employer associations to help develop more effective and efficient collective bargaining processes.
“I hope organisations like the EMA, which have acknowledged publicly that the Act is working well beyond their
expectations, will take up this offer instead of continuing their campaign of public complaints”.
ENDS
Lyndy McIntyre Communications NZ Council of Trade Unions