Media Release: National Distribution Union

Wednesday September 9 2009

Better redundancy protection needed in hard times

The National Distribution Union (NDU) is behind a campaign launched today by political parties, unions and beneficiary advocates to ensure all workers are given better redundancy protections in hard times.

“Several hundred workers are losing their jobs each week and the bulk of these workers have no redundancy compensation at all,” Robert Reid, NDU National Secretary said.

“Many union members already have some good cover but this is an issue that also needs support in the law.  New Zealand’s work rights are minimal in comparison with overseas countries - we are nearly alone in the developed world in having no redundancy protections in law.”

“The Redundancy Protection Bill will address that by giving some basic protection to workers to help tide them over in hard times.  If the government is serious about taking the rough edge off the recession it must support this bill to a select committee so it can be debated,” Robert Reid said.

Ends.

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