Sent on behalf of the New Zealand Meat Workers and Related Trades Union
Disappointment as Labour Hire Bill reported back
Meat Workers Union media release - 6 March 2019
The original author of the Employment Relations Triangular Amendment Bill says she is disappointed in the watered-down
version of the Bill that is due for second reading today.
“I authored this bill back when I was an MP and it was picked up by Labour MP Keiran McAnulty. The issues around Labour
Hire that gave rise to the Bill then are even more important today” says Darien Fenton, former Labour MP and now
Organising Director for the Meat Workers Union says.
“In just the last week, I have been involved in issues with Labour Hire workers in the Meat Industry, where there are
clear examples of exploitation in the use of these workers to undercut unionised workers on collective agreements.”
“What’s worse is there is a growing use by Labour Hire Companies to 'rent' migrant workers to established companies
while holding power over these workers because they are on one-year fixed term visas. These migrant workers are told
they cannot join the union because of their visa status.
“Meanwhile, they go to work day in and day out and do the same work as unionised workers but for minimum wage.
“The removal in the Bill of the requirement for Labour Hire workers to be paid the same as those employed on collective
agreements where they work ignores the critical problem New Zealand workers are facing with increasing forms of
casualisation.
“I am pleased that at least one part of the Bill survives, which is the ability of workers to join both the Labour Hire
company and the company they actually work to personal grievance actions. This will have an impact.
“However I am very surprised that New Zealand First in particular would support changes that allow the continued
exploitation of migrant labour to undermine the terms and conditions of people working in New Zealand.
“This law represented an opportunity for the Government to put the welfare of migrant workers and the terms and
conditions of Kiwi workers ahead of the interests of mostly offshore-owned Labour Hire companies. It’s a real shame that
opportunity hasn’t been taken.”
ENDS