Dr Wayne Mapp National Industrial Relations Spokesman

27 September 2004

Employment Bill = compulsory unionism

The proposed bargaining fee in the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill is another step in the direction of compulsory unionism by stealth, says National's Industrial Relations spokesman, Wayne Mapp.

Paul Swain tabled his amendment to the Bill today. It will allow bargaining fees to be deducted from the wages of non-union employees and paid directly to unions in workplaces where there is a collective contract.

"This means that many of the 1.7 million New Zealanders who have chosen not to belong to a union will now have union fees deducted from their wages, anyway," Dr Mapp says.

"The opt-out nature of the legislation means workers will have to pay these fees unless they specify that they don't want to.

"But if they don't pay the fees, then they won't get the same terms and conditions as union members.

"The Bill already has a virtual prohibition on passing on to non-union members any terms and conditions reached in collective bargaining. The effect of the new amendment is to create a situation where New Zealand has got compulsory unionism, pure and simple, in any workplace where there is a collective contract," Dr Mapp says.

ENDS

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