15 March 2005

Dr Wayne Mapp MP National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman

Labour’s pro-union laws cause friction at University

National Party Industrial relations spokesman Wayne Mapp says “Labour’s pro-union anti-progress” employment laws were always bound to cause trouble and they’re doing that at Auckland University.

“Surely any employer must have the right to offer non-union employees a pay rise at some stage. Or is the union trying to tell us that those who don’t belong to a union don’t deserve an increase?”

Dr Mapp is commenting on reports today of a protest rally at Auckland University involving some of the union members who make up 30% of the University’s 3500 workforce.

“Essentially, the union movement is trying to tell Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon that non-union staff should be forced to wait until after the union has finished bargaining its collective agreement.

“Why should the non-union staff, who make up the majority of the workforce at Auckland University, be forced to wait for the unions?” asks Mr Mapp.

“According to Labour’s socialist employment laws, non-union staff are legally prevented from negotiating a better pay deal than their union counterparts. This is a law that stifles excellence and condones mediocrity,” says Dr Mapp. National says it will remove the union monopoly over bargaining rights.

ENDS

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