Iain Lees-Galloway
MP for Palmerston North
Workplace Relations and Safety Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT

20 September 2016

MBIE gives up on enforcing the law

The Government must provide labour inspectors with the resources they need to enforce basic employment law after reports that MBIE is only prosecuting the worst cases, says Labour’s Workplace Relations and Safety spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“Today’s news that MBIE has given up and is no longer pursuing individual cases where workers are missing out on holiday pay and their minimum wages is just appalling.

“The failure to properly uphold employment standards is symptomatic of a Government that is increasingly arrogant over its responsibilities.

“This is even more galling when one in five forestry workers do not even have an employment agreement.

“The FIRST Union says it’s clear after surveying silviculture workers across the North Island that paying workers below the minimum wage and withholding holiday pay it is business as usual in the industry. That’s not acceptable.

“In the past the Labour Inspectorate would check time and wage books and where employers had breached conditions they would take individual cases.

“National must return to upholding the basic rights of working people. It is no use reforming workplace laws if they have no way of enforcing them,” says Iain Lees- Galloway.

ends

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