Government Employment Policy has Delivered Benefits to All

Labour's employment relations policy, launched today, highlights the stark differences between the major parties, said Carol Beaumont, secretary of the NZ Council of Trade Unions."We want to continue with the economic growth and high employment the Government has delivered and move towards a modern economy that invests in skill development to improve workplace performance and organisation and increase workforce participation, rather than return to the bitter, low-wage, low-skill approach of the '90s."

"The Government has also delivered a 36% increase in the minimum wage, better employment laws, higher pay for work on public holidays, thirteen weeks paid parental leave, a higher standard of health-and-safety-protection for workers, and protection for vulnerable workers when a firm is sold or work contracted out."

"National promises to return to a version of the divisive Employment Contracts Act, and would cut holiday pay, freeze the minimum wage, allow employers to require three weeks annual leave when the four weeks becomes law, do away with health and safety representatives and allow workers to be sacked with no reason and no right of appeal when they start a new job."