Anti-Capitalists Condemn Changes To The Holidays Act
The local government candidates of the Anti-Capitalist Alliance, including the party's five mayoral candidates, have
condemned the changes to the Holidays Act. The changes will prevent workers getting penal rates when sick on a public
holiday, and give the employer the right to request a medical certificate before three days have passed.
"We strongly oppose this attack on workers by employers and the Labour government which serves their interests. Most
workers are only allowed five sick days a year, whereas the politicians have months off at a time and employers can come
and go from work as and when they please.
"While the Labour government is concerned with closing an 'anomaly' in the law, which actually allows workers a tiny bit
of leeway, the Anti-Capitalist Alliance says that the real anomaly is the disproportionate amount of wealth and power in
the hands of the rich.
"In the past year, the richest 187 people in the country saw their wealth increase by around $4 billion. That's more
than would be earned by 100,000 workers on the average industrial wage. And it's more than 200,000 low-paid workers
would have earned last year.
"It says a lot about the priorities of this government that they have presided over growing social and economic
inequalities and are now rushing to take away one little crumb that workers still have."
ACA mayoral candidates
Daphna Whitmore for Auckland 021 186 7450
Nick Kelly for Upper Hutt 027 491 8749
Steven Hay for Wellington 021 210 4414
Paul Hopkinson for Porirua 021 454 037
Sam Kingi for Christchurch 021 125 0819