Wayne Mapp MP
National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman
10 June 2006
CTU should give up scaremongering
The Council of Trade Unions’ scaremongering over my bill to establish a 90-day probation period for new workers will not
stop it being publicly and rationally debated, says National Party MP Wayne Mapp.
He is commenting on this weekend’s flea market drive by the CTU.
The Employment Relations (Probationary Employment) Amendment Bill passed its first reading in Parliament in March.
“We need informed debate, not hysteria,” says Dr Mapp.
"The CTU needs to stop for a moment and consider what this bill will actually do for disadvantaged workers.
“It will allow people who have not had previous work experience to find their first job and make it easier for others to
re-enter the workforce.
"It will preserve employees’ rights on pay claims, holiday pay and sick leave – and make allowance for claims of serious
discrimination, such as sexual harassment.
"And it will allow employers to take a chance with new employees without facing the risk of protracted personal
grievance procedures.
"New Zealand is the only OECD country that does not have a probation period for new employees.
"It's time we joined the rest of the OECD with modern employment law which has probation periods. But first, the CTU
needs to get back its grip on reality and stop its scaremongering," says Dr Mapp.
Ends