October 18, 2007

Labour Day is about work rights - EPMU

Labour Day is the day we should stop and think about our rights at work, says the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

The first stage of the EPMU's push to raise public awareness about the significance of work rights began yesterday with a six day radio and newspaper advertising campaign.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says work rights are important and they should never be taken for granted.

"For most of us our work is the source of our economic livelihood and sustenance to our families and communities and it's important that it can't just be taken from us arbitrarily or because the boss feels like it.

"Rights like decent holidays and sick leave are about people being treated with dignity and as more than just units of labour. The right to a safe and healthy workplace goes to the heart of decency and respect at work.

"But these rights are never guaranteed. Governments can remove them or dilute them. They are constantly under attack from employer groups.

"Just this week the National Party attacked a decision of the Employment Relations Authority that found in favour of a manager sacked after three months with no notice.

"National's policy is still to take all work rights off anyone in their first ninety days of a new job.

"The real price of a National Party tax cut is a cut in work rights and employment protection.

"The work rights we enjoy today are worth fighting for. Previous generations have fought for them, and we owe it to them and future generations to make sure our work rights get better, not worse."

The EPMU is New Zealand's largest private sector union, representing fifty thousand working New Zealanders across eleven industries.

ENDS

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