Lockwood Smith National Industrial Relations Spokesperson

30 March 2001

Too early to assess affects of ERA

It is too early to know how the Employment Relations Act is affecting work places despite reports of limited trouble since its enactment, National's Industrial Relations spokesman Lockwood Smith said today.

"It will be July or August before we know how the ERA is working because on July 1 unions will have the power to terminate contracts that existed before the Act was in place.

"Employers should remember that unions can vote to terminate those contracts then, but until we know how unions are going to respond there is no certainty.

"What we do know is that compliance with the Act has imposed significantly higher costs on employers," Dr Smith said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

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