22 September 2000

PR 108/00

HANDLING THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BILL

Federated Farmers have been inundated with farmers attending their "handling the Employment Relations Bill" courses.

Vice President, Tom Lambie, said that so far 1500 farmers had already attended the courses being conducted throughout rural New Zealand and the programme was just starting.

The Federation is initially holding 39 seminars, reaching out to the rural extremities of New Zealand.

"What that tells the Federation is that farmers are really concerned with the implications of the new legislation". Tom Lambie said: "Farmers, as law abiding citizens, want to stay within the law but still farm profitably."

"Our hope is that the union movement is mature enough to realise the realities of our global economy. I hope they have left their old practices of trying to strangle our agricultural industry, and the New Zealand economy's lifeline to the world".

"Farmers have, and always will be willing to talk and negotiate, but their bargaining position will never be strong".

"That puts farmers in an impossible position".

"The Federation is extremely pleased with farmers' willingness to spend valuable time to learn about the new employment legislation, so as to ensure they are good employers," Tom Lambie said.

ENDS

For further information: Tom Lambie (03) 614 7019 (026) 113-161 Michael Smith (025)274-7801

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