Changes to Employment Act bad news for workers
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says the Government’s announcement that it will introduce legislation before
year’s end to amend the Employment Relations Act 2000 is a bad move that will be bad for workers.
NZNO industrial adviser, Susan Stewart says, “The rights of workers in this country are being stripped away. Our most
vulnerable workers will be worse off with the removal of protections in section 6A. New workers can expect less than the
rate in the collective agreement for the first 30 days, employers can refuse to conclude collective pay negotiations and
the ability of workers to use collective power to balance employer power in pay negotiations will be reduced.”
“Workers have the right to wages and conditions that fairly recognise their skills. These changes will reduce fairness
and reduce workers’ wages and conditions. A productive and healthy New Zealand cannot be built on unfair treatment of
workers. A productive and health society can only be built through full engagement and fair treatment of all New
Zealanders.”
“These changes are not about fairness or engagement. They are entirely about reducing workers’ rights and driving down
wages and conditions,” Susan Stewart says.
“What New Zealand needs is a strong, productive economy based on decent wages and working conditions. These changes to
legislation will erode workers’ rights and drive down wages and conditions. They are bad faith law and they will be bad
for our society.”
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