Darien Fenton MP

Spokesperson on Transport Safety

Associate Spokesperson on Labour

National makes a deceitful Christmas grab for holidays

Labour says that the government’s announcement today about changes to the Holidays Act is a deceitful grab back of workers’ holidays entitlements.

“The government’s review of the Holidays Act, reported back last week, was clearly set up to make it look like it was interested in views on changes to the Holidays Act, when the outcomes were already pre-determined,” says Darien Fenton, Labour’s associate labour spokesperson.

“I feel sorry for the submitters and those who worked on the review in good faith, believing that this was a genuine process.

“I’m not sure why the government even bothered to ask people to submit on cashing up a fourth weeks leave when it was obvious they were going to do it anyway.

“But even worse, the government has taken the opportunity to add on a whole set of other changes, which were not signalled by National at the last election.

“Additional changes include amending the single rate for holiday pay and other leave, such as sick-leave and allowing the transfer of public holidays to other days, when time and a half for working may not be payable.

“We are not aware of any demand for these changes, apart from a few in business. Workers certainly have not been complaining,” says Ms Fenton.

“Labour condemns this fake process and will be strongly opposing any changes to the Holidays Act that reduce worker entitlements,” Darien Fenton said.

ENDS

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