15 March 2005
Dr Wayne Mapp MP National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman
Labour’s pro-union laws cause friction at University
National Party Industrial relations spokesman Wayne Mapp says “Labour’s pro-union anti-progress” employment laws were
always bound to cause trouble and they’re doing that at Auckland University.
“Surely any employer must have the right to offer non-union employees a pay rise at some stage. Or is the union trying
to tell us that those who don’t belong to a union don’t deserve an increase?”
Dr Mapp is commenting on reports today of a protest rally at Auckland University involving some of the union members who
make up 30% of the University’s 3500 workforce.
“Essentially, the union movement is trying to tell Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon that non-union staff should be
forced to wait until after the union has finished bargaining its collective agreement.
“Why should the non-union staff, who make up the majority of the workforce at Auckland University, be forced to wait for
the unions?” asks Mr Mapp.
“According to Labour’s socialist employment laws, non-union staff are legally prevented from negotiating a better pay
deal than their union counterparts. This is a law that stifles excellence and condones mediocrity,” says Dr Mapp.
National says it will remove the union monopoly over bargaining rights.
ENDS