“Labour’s industrial relations policy release today hits all the rights spots both in terms of dealing with the immediate implications of the current economic crisis but also in building future workplaces that are smart and productive, and are decent and fair places to work,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.

Unions are marking World Day for Decent Work [8] today with a call for employers to take the lead in guaranteeing labour hire workers the same pay and conditions as regular workers, ahead of legislation coming in requiring them to do so.

“Despite the softly softly rhetoric National leader John Key let the cat out of the bag today by confirming if National were elected the Employment Contracts Act mark II would be again foisted on workers,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today. 

“National’s repositioning over its proposal to introduce a 90 day unfairness period into small workplaces won’t fool anyone,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said.

Casual workers will have greater protection under a Bill introduced yesterday in Parliament [12], said Peter Conway, Council of Trade Unions Economist.

The Council of Trade Unions has welcomed legislation passed yesterday guaranteeing minimum tea and lunch breaks, and provisions for women to breast feed at work, but is extremely concerned that meal breaks are being denied to truck and bus drivers following an amendment by New Zealand First.

The Council of Trade Unions has welcomed a new Bill aimed at giving children 15 years and under legal rights in employment, by requiring them to be employed, not contractors.

The Council of Trade Unions today reiterated its call for National to release any background material in support of last week’s employment policy release.

“National's employment policy left as many questions unanswered as answered and letting the public in on the ‘real’ policy might address some of the issues outstanding,” CTU president Helen Kelly said.

“The two themes threading through National policy to date continued today with the release of their Employment Relations Policy,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said.