National strips workers of protection

Government plans to extend a 90-day probation period to all businesses and restrict union access to workplaces robs workers of basic protection against bad and abusive employers.

Business and government say that a 90-day trial period, where workers have no right to appeal against unfair dismissal, should apply to all businesses.

“The government says this will encourage growth and creates jobs. There is no evidence to support this argument. What extending the ‘no-risk’ trial period will do is deny workers basic protection and employment rights,” says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott.

“This is simply another move to stack the balance of power against employees. Adequate provisions are already in place for employers where there is due cause for dismissal.

“Extending the probation period to all businesses will only make workers more vulnerable to the whims of bad managers.

“This, combined with an intention to restrict access of union representatives from workplaces is an outright attack on all New Zealand workers,” says Brenda Pilott

“The Government clearly has no interest in co-operating with workers or their union representatives in protecting the employment rights of New Zealand workers.

“National members of parliament might not be so keen on a 90-day employment probation period if it were applied to them,” says Brenda Pilott.

ENDS

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