Newsletters & Articles
The Election: Your Chance to Influence Change in the Workplace
The upcoming election provides a chance for voters to influence government by choosing a party which aligns with their values on important policy areas such as health, education, justice and the environment. Buckett Law takes this opportunity to summarise key employment law policies as listed on the websites of major political parties.
National
- Establish a 'Starting Out' wage which means that certain groups of people can be paid less than the minimum wage by employers. Under the scheme, workers who are 16 or 17 can be paid 80% of the minimum wage by their employer for the first six months of employment. The reduced wage can also be paid for six months to 18 or 19 year olds who have just come off a benefit, as well as 16 to 19 year olds who are in an industry training course.- Extend the right to request flexible working hours to all employees.
- Remove the requirement to conclude collective bargaining from the Employment Relations Act. Currently, collective bargaining must be concluded unless there are 'genuine reasons not to'. National would eliminate this requirement although the need to negotiate in good faith would remain.
- Remove the requirement that non-union members are employed under a collective agreement for their first 30 days. - Allow employers to opt out of negotiations for a multi-employer collective agreement.
- Review the treatment of constructive dismissal claims.
Labour
- Implement a $15 per hour minimum wage.- Repeal the 90 day trial period law.
- Restore reinstatement as the primary remedy when a worker has been unjustifiably dismissed.
- Ensure 11 days of public holiday each year regardless of such days falling on weekends.
- Introduce Industry Standard Agreements which allow workers and employers to agree on minimum work and wage standards that apply across the industry. These minimum standards would be apply to both union and non-union workers.
- Repeal the National government's changes to the Employment Relations Act regarding employees in the film and video production industries.
- Ensure that information about pay rates is made public so that comparisons can be made and unfair inequalities in pay rates between men and women are revealed.
Greens
- Raise the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour and ensure that the minimum wage does not fall below 66% of the average wage.- Recognise the contribution of unpaid workers to society, including parents and caregivers.
- Expand the apprenticeship programme.
- Improve that availability of immigrant bridging courses in professions that New Zealand needs.