09 September 2005

Wayne Mapp MP National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman

Union abandons workers to campaign for Labour

National Party Industrial Relations spokesman Wayne Mapp is calling on the Service and Food Workers Union to explain to its members why it has abandoned them in order to campaign for the Labour Party.

He is commenting on a report that workers at Papakura's Independent Liquor "feel things have been made worse, not better since the union's involvement" in negotiations for a collective agreement.

One union member said: "Since we are paying our fees to the union we should be their priority...But instead it feels like the union has all but abandoned us to campaign for the Labour Party."

Dr Mapp says union members who feel that their fees shouldn't go directly towards Labour's election campaign should make their concerns known. "Union members need to send a message to their management. Union bosses clearly do not have the unanimous support of those who are paying their wages.

"I have been informed by a member of another union, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, that she was told by a union member colleague that if she did not vote Labour she would have to negotiate her own employment agreement.

"That is basically blackmail and I am appalled that this is the sort of message coming from union bosses. Union members should be telling union bosses not to use their fees for political campaigns," says Dr Mapp.

ENDS

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