October 1, 2009
Media Release

Tariff extensions welcome - EPMU

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union welcomes the Government’s decision to extend current import tariff levels until at least 2015.

The decision was announced today by Ministers Simon Power and Tim Groser and will provide certainty for manufacturers covered by the tariffs and their workforce.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says the extension is in line with New Zealand’s trade policy.

“Maintaining these import tariffs is in line with our free trade agreements and will offer a little protection to manufacturers who have struggled against the high dollar for several years.”

“These are not large protections by international standards but we believe they are important at a time when manufacturers are struggling.”

The EPMU is New Zealand’s largest private sector union, representing 45,000 working New Zealanders across eleven industries.

ENDS

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