6 November 2009
Media Statement

Do nothing government must act on redundancy rights

The rise in unemployment announced today shows the urgent need for guaranteed redundancy protections, says Labour’s associate labour spokesperson Darien Fenton.

The increase puts unemployment at the highest level it’s been in 15 years and shows the effects of the recession are far from over for Kiwi workers.

Darien Fenton says the government needs to step up and do something for working New Zealanders.

“Kiwis are being laid off day in higher numbers and most of them are being left high and dry because they have no redundancy protection and that makes it that much harder to pay their mortgage, feed their family and look for new work.

“Rather than just hoping the recession goes away, the Government needs to actively support people who are hit by job losses – and backing the Redundancy Protection Bill would be a good start.

“Even one of John Key’s cabinet ministers has said the government is ‘doing nothing’.

“If John Key’s government has any respect for the dignity of its citizens and desire to position New Zealand to come out of the recession strongly it would back the Redundancy Protection Bill to make sure Kiwis have a decent hand-up if they are left jobless,” Darien Fenton said.

The Redundancy Protection Bill allows for a minimum redundancy protection of four weeks for the first year of service and two weeks for each year after and is in line with the federal redundancy protections recently introduced in Australia.

ENDS

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