Labour delivers for workers

30 08 05

Labour delivers for workers

“Labour has been good for workers and we want that to continue” said Darien Fenton, National Secretary of Service & Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU) at the launch of Labour’s industrial relations policy in Auckland today.

Darien Fenton told SFWU members at Griffins Food in Papakura that after the hard times of the 1990’s, where workers experienced backsliding pay and conditions, workers have seen real benefits under a Labour-led government.

“The Employment Relations Act (ERA) has enabled workers to bargain collectively together – in many cases for the first time ever – and a result of that can be seen in the number of 5% pay increases won by unions this year” said Ms Fenton.

“Labour’s policy for the next term cements in the changes under the ERA, such as the right to organise and collectively bargain, and the requirement to act in good faith. The policy will also extend these rights to other workers such as temporary workers and dependent contractors.”

“We are pleased at some of the innovations that the policy signals, such as investigating options for protection and portability of leave and superannuation entitlements, as well as setting up a Ministerial Advisory Group to look at redundancy law and provision,” says Ms Fenton.

“It is also good to see that Labour plans to lead the way in good employment practices by adopting and implementing a Responsible Contractor Policy.”

“Workers will be pleased that Labour is committed to building on the good work of the last few years. No worker I know wants to go back to the kind of industrial law National is proposing.”

ENDS

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