Leading business council outlines concern with ERB
Media release 3 August 2000
Leading business council outlines concerns with Employment Relations Bill
The Business and Industry Advisory Council, which represents more than 70,000 businesses in New Zealand, has identified a number of major concerns with the Employment Relations Bill, and says the Government's changes to so-called 'lightning rod' issues have not addressed the serious concerns of New Zealand business.
The Council says the Bill shows a lack of understanding of how the workplace operates, and will lead to higher costs and less flexibility for enterprises to respond to opportunities and market conditions.
The Council's meeting today noted that the difficulties caused by the legislation will work against the economy and job creation, especially in the regions, and will conflict with the Government's regional development policy.
The Council's members are concerned that unions' ability to use strike action for multi-employer agreements could paralyse whole sectors of the economy. The monopoly given to unions to negotiate collective agreements also gives unions enormous power over individual enterprises. Extremely wide union access provisions will also cause difficulties for many businesses, the Council says.
The Council says compliance costs facing businesses, especially small businesses, are also about to rise steeply, compounded by the costs of uncertainty, as concepts like 'good faith' bargaining will have to be tested in the courts.
Industry associations who are members of BIAC have a range of concerns relevant to their industries, however all share the concern that the proposed legislation is fundamentally bad for business, jobs and growth.
Ends
A list of industries represented by BIAC is attached.
For further comment, contact:
Tom Lambie 025
310416, 03 6147019
John Collyns 025
472155, 04 4997334
Barry Hellberg 021 673480, 04
4723733
New Zealand Business and Industry
Advisory Council
Members
Aviation Industry
Association of NZ Inc
Building Service Contractors of
NZ
Bus and Coach Association NZ Inc
Canterbury
Employers' Chamber of Commerce
NZ Chambers of Commerce
and Industry
Collision Repair Association
NZ
Contractors' Federation
Corporation of Insurance Brokers
of NZ Inc
Electrical Contractors Assn of NZ
Inc
Employers and Manufacturers Assn
(Central)
Employers and Manufacturers Assn
(Northern)
Federated Farmers of NZ
Forest Owners
Association of NZ
Health Funds Association of
NZ
Hospitality Association of NZ
NZ Private Hospitals
Association
NZ Institute of Management
Insurance
Council of NZ Inc
Investment Savings and Insurance
Association
Local Government New Zealand
NZ
Manufacturers Federation
NZ Society of Master
Plumbers
NZ Meat Industry Association
Motor Trade
Association (Inc)
Newspaper Publishers Association of
NZ
NZ Nursery & Garden Industry Association
NZ
Orchards and Vineyards Association of Employers
New
Zealand Post Ltd
Otago-Southland Employers'
Association
NZ Painting Contractors Federation
NZ
Private Physiotherapists' Assn
Pharmacy Guild of NZ
(Inc)
Printing Industries NZ
Registered Master
Builders' Federation
Retail Merchants Association of
NZ
Nat. Assn of Retail Grocers & Supermarkets of NZ
(Inc)
NZ Retail Meat & Allied Trades' Federation
Inc
Road Transport Forum NZ
NZ Seafood Industry
Council Ltd
NZ Stevedoring Employers Assn Inc
NZ
Taxi Federation Inc
NZ Vegetable & Potato Growers
Federation