June 1, 2006

Mapp’s office to be protest target

The National Party will get its first taste of public opinion of its no-rights employment bill tomorrow morning (Friday).

Workers are planning to protest outside the Takapuna office of the party’s industrial relations spokesman, Wayne Mapp, who is sponsoring the bill.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little said that anger was growing as working people realised the ramifications of the proposed law.

“It means that employers will have the right to impose a 90-day ‘probationary’ period on all new workers, from the youngest school-leaver to people well established in their careers,” he said.

“During this time, the workers could be sacked for any reason at all, without even having the right to take a wages arrears case, let alone go to the mediation service, the Employment Relations Authority or the Employment Court.

Tomorrow’s rally will be the first of many around the country, including weekly Friday protests in Auckland, a rally in Whangarei on June 21, and a mass rally outside Parliament on July 20.

Mr Little said that Dr Mapp’s office had been chosen for tomorrow’s protest because it was important that he understood why working people opposed his bill.

“And it’s equally important that the people of his electorate understand what he is doing,” Mr Little said.

The protest will run from 7.30am to 9.30am outside Dr Mapp’s office, 15 Anzac St, Takapuna.

ENDS

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