Politics

The Council of Trade Unions has today petitioned Parliament to send the Fire at Will Act to a select committee for proper consideration.

“National drove their employment law changes through Parliament under urgency last week when there was no compelling reason to do so,” CTU president Helen Kelly said.

“The Council of Trade Unions is willing to discuss with small businesses the challenges that they face but cannot support any law which removes the fundamental right of appeal against unfair dismissal,” CTU president Helen Kelly said today.

“The Minister of Labour has misled the public on the level of protections available to employees unfairly treated by the 90 Day Fire at Will Bill,” Council of Trade Unions President Helen Kelly says.

Parliament has just begun pushing through an amendment to employment law to remove unfair dismissal protections for a third of the workforce who are in small businesses.

“Choosing International Human Rights Day as the day to bring in new laws taking away New Zealanders rights to a fair hearing at work is an unfitting, sinister choice,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.

Te Runanga o Nga Kaimahi Maori – CTU Runanga says there so many wrongs with rushing through the Fire at Will Bill, and acknowledges the Maori Party’s continued opposition to it.

The Council of Trade Unions says that the Government’s consideration of changes to their KiwiSaver stance will soften the blow for low income workers, but fundamental problems still remain. 

John Key said today that Cabinet have considered changes to National’s KiwiSaver policy, and the CTU looks forward to seeing further details.

The Council of Trade Unions is calling on the incoming Government to re-jig their tax cut proposals to provide a more balanced package.

The Council of Trade Unions’ Fairness at Work political campaign would continue, a national meeting of the union movement in Wellington has decided today.

“Unions will continue the ‘Fairness at Work’ campaign’s focus of protecting work rights, strengthening public services, and setting out a plan to lift wages,” CTU president Helen Kelly said.

The Council of Trade Unions has six questions it believes John Key should be asked in the TVNZ Leaders’ Debate tonight given the focus on jobs and the economy.

Helen Kelly, CTU President, says that there are vital issues affecting workers that are at stake in this election and these questions highlight their concerns.

DomPost column
Helen Kelly, CTU president
Monday November 3

Work Rights a Big Issue in This Election

It would be ignoring the elephant in the room for this column not to talk at this time about the issues for workers in this election.  Given the current economic turmoil, the task of choosing our next Government becomes even more important.