Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Contractor model is an attack on workers’ conditions

NZ Post’s contractor model is an attack on workers’ conditions

NZ Post’s announcement today of a “pilot” programme which includes dependent contractors as well as employed posties shows that the organisation has learned nothing from the example of Chorus, says the union for postal workers, the EPMU.

The pilot includes a rollout of new vehicles which can speed up delivery rounds and allow posties to deliver parcels as well as mail. But it also involves the use of dependent contractors, who do the same job as posties but without the same protections in employment law.

“This is the Chorus model,” says Joe Gallagher, EPMU organiser for both the postal and telecommunication industries. “Lay off your employees, force them to buy their own vehicles and equipment, and hire them back on worse terms and conditions with no job security.

“It doesn’t deliver efficiencies, it doesn’t protect jobs, it doesn’t improve service for the customer.

“Using new technology to improve the postal service is one thing, but forcing posties to become dependent contractors is another.

“NZ Post is looking at what countries like Norway have done – but in every case, those countries are using an employee model, not a contractor model. There are no dependent contractors doing this delivery work in New Zealand or any country we want to emulate.

“The only reason to change this is so workers can be denied basic protections, and to pave the way for even more redundancies.

“NZ Post provides a vital public service. It should be run for the public, not driven to cut corners and downgrade deliveries in order to deliver bigger and bigger dividends to the government.”

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.