The Government's being delivered a fresh wake-up call over the Employment Relations Bill following an analysis of submissions to the select committee, Opposition Industrial Relations spokesperson Max Bradford said today.

"The degree of opposition that has come through the select committee is a real eye opener. It is across the board and wide ranging.

"National has analysed the 2,279 substantive written and oral submissions and three quarters of them are clearly against the legislation, and only a quarter in support.

"If the 387 form letters, where the submitter had added only a line or two, are excluded a conclusive 86 per cent oppose the Bill.

"That's 86 per cent of genuine individual submissions opposed to the law change.

"It isn't only employers who are worried. Individual New Zealanders have fronted up to express their worries."

Against In Favour Neutral

Employers 98.2% 1.4% 0.4% Unions 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% Individuals 84.5% 14.7% 0.7% Others 74.7% 22.8% 2.5%

"The number of submissions is believed to be a record. If the Government went ahead with the 25 bottom line amendments proposed by National it would go some way to allaying the concerns of the hundreds of people and organisations who have expressed opposition.

"The Government is being delivered a firm message from across the board that minor changes won't go far enough. Much more substantial change is needed to meet the very real and widespread concern expressed to the select committee."

*Analysis attached

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Inquiries: Max Bradford 04 4719 330

ANALYSIS OF SUBMISSION ON EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BILL

There were a total of 2,279 submissions made to the Select Committee on the Employment Relations Bill. 478 of them (21%) made an oral submission as well as their written submission.

This is believed to be the highest number of submissions (as opposed to signatures on a petition) on a Bill for at least a decade.

National has had a team spend several weeks reading each submission and categorising them. The results of that analysis are below:

74.6% of submissions opposed the Bill 24.8% were in favour of the Bill 0.6% were neither in favour or against

However 387 submissions were in fact form letters to which the submitter had added only a line or two. These were mainly from the Alliance/Unions, Amway Distributors and from Rural Delivery Agents. If we exclude the form letters, then the statistics are:

Opposed 86.2% In Favour 13.1% Neutral 0.8%

So over 86% of genuine individual (non form letter) submissions are opposed to the Bill.

We have also classified the submitters into four categories: - Employers - Unions - Individuals - Others (Law Society, Community Groups who are not employers etc)

Against In Favour Neutral

Employers 98.0% 1.6% 0.4% Unions 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% Individuals 62.5% 37.0% 0.5% Others 74.7% 22.9% 2.4%

If one removes the form letter submissions the stats are:

Against In Favour Neutral

Employers 98.2% 1.4% 0.4% Unions 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% Individuals 84.5% 14.7% 0.7% Others 74.7% 22.8% 2.5%

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