Pay and conditions
A proposal to looks at guaranteed redundancy payments for workers is a good step forward and deserves cross party support, the Council of Trade Unions said today.
Unions are marking World Day for Decent Work 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.
“It is ironic to see John Key ask Labour to please explain the wage gap with Australia when in fact it blew out in the 1990s under a National-led Government,” CTU Economist Peter Conway said today.
“Workforce shortage issues will continue in the rural sector unless farmers and growers start to develop long term strategies for growing their own workforces,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.
The National Party’s billboards would be more honest if they spelt out how they were going to lift wages, Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.
“National has released an industrial relations policy which cuts worker and union rights, is completely silent on lifting wages, and coupled with other policies will leave workers much worse off.”
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.
A meeting of Maori union leaders in Auckland has declared its support for the rolling strike action being taken by Sky City workers this week.
Wage rises as indicated by latest data out this morning need to keep on coming, the Council of Trade Unions said today.
“With inflation forecast to reach 5 percent by September, annual wage increases of 3.5 percent are modest,” CTU Economist Peter Conway said, following today’s Labour Cost Index release by Statistics NZ.
In The Unionist this week: National's plans for accident compensation, new work rights to request flexible working arrangements come in to force, the launch of the EPMU's work rights campaign, and economic news this week.
“The rights at work for casual workers are about to get better, and no party should stand it the way of this much needed law change,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.