CTU MEDIA RELEASE 29 July 2008
If the devil is not in the detail - then release it!
"National's employment policy left as many questions unanswered as answered and letting the public in on the 'real'
policy might address some of the issues outstanding," CTU president Helen Kelly said.
"Perhaps the real policy will cover areas they have kicked to touch in their one pager - such as their plans for the
paid parental leave scheme, which more than 100,000 parents have benefited from."
"Or how a worker who has no rights to a fair process at dismissal enforces the right of natural justice that National
says it will retain. You need to get before an authority to examine issues of natural justice and without a ground for
action it is unclear how a worker might do this."
"Or clarify how workers will bargain collectively without a union of some form. Collective bargaining requires a
collective - and we need to know if their policy simply means employers will draw up binding collectives and remove
workers choice to bargain in unions."
"The document might also clarify National's policy on KiwiSaver and the Holidays Act Review."
"Many of us spend much of our lives at work, and it is an area where voters deserve better from National. While real
policy is kept under wraps it is very difficult for New Zealand voters to get an accurate idea of their complete agenda
for work rights."
Yesterday the CTU released its own detailed analysis of National's employment policy, including assessing what was not
in the policy. The report is available here: http://union.org.nz/policy/ctu-critique-nationals-2008-employment-policy
ENDS