NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to reconsider its decision to progress Brooke van Velden’s new Employment Relations Amendment Bill, which would deny workers who have been misclassified as contractors their fundamental rights.
“If this Bill proceeds, businesses will be encouraged to exploit the contractor loophole and deny workers their fundamental rights including collective bargaining, annual leave, sick leave, holiday pay, and the right to join a union,” said Wagstaff.
“Despite what the Minister is claiming, the Bill could actually make life more uncertain for employees and employers by exposing more workers.
“The Government seems committed to making life harder for working people. At a time when unemployment is rising, when work is becoming scarce, this is exactly the wrong path to take.
“These changes are engineered for employers in the gig economy. Uber has lost in court and the Government is going to legislate so that they, and companies like them, don’t lose again.
“It is abundantly clear who ACT is working for – not for some of the most vulnerable workers in the country, but for multinational corporations and unscrupulous employers who want to exploit workers.
“National and NZ First should reconsider their decisions and block this ACT policy that is a fundamental attack on worker’s rights. They could stop this tomorrow,‘ said Wagstaff.