90-day job trials will deepen workplace inequality

The Public Service Association (PSA) has told Parliament that extending the right to sack workers without reason or redress will strengthen workplace inequality and erode trust and confidence between employers and employees

The union’s president Paula Scholes spoke to the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee last night about changes to the Employment Relations Act proposed in the Employment Relations Amendment Bill and the Holidays Amendment Bill.

The changes include extending a 90-day trial period to all employees and workplaces and requiring unions to seek employer permission before entering worksites.

“These changes could result in our members being denied timely access to their union representatives. They are unnecessary, impractical and can only be interpreted as an attempt to undermine the operation of unions,” says PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff.

Earlier today at the union’s biennial National Congress, delegates voted unanimously to support the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) Fairness at Work campaign against these changes.

“The government’s proposals give employers the right to sack new employees within 90 days, restrict union access to workplaces, give employers the right to demand a medical certificate for just one day’s sick leave and expose workers to employer pressure to sell off their fourth week of annual leave,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“We are calling on the Government to withdraw the changes contained in these amendment bills; they amount to nothing more than attacks on working New Zealanders and their unions.

“Downgrading the rights of working people and undermining trust between employees and employers won’t lift economic development or close the wage gap with Australia and encourage New Zealanders overseas to return home with their acquired skills and knowledge.”

“Instead of focusing on weakening workers rights the Government should turn its attention to important and pressing issues like skills shortages and low productivity.

“The damaging changes proposed in these amendment bills are just a distraction from this important work,” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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