Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday 29th July 2008

"Nat's 'Fire at Will' Policy would Cripple Wairarapa Workers" - MacKenzie

The National Party's employment policy, released on Thursday, attacks worker's rights and would drive down the wages of all Wairarapa workers, says Labour Party candidate for Wairarapa, Denise MacKenzie.

Their industrial relations policy aims to strip new workers of their rights in the first 90 days of employment; undermine collective bargaining, block workers accessing representation on site and undermine annual leave provisions and holiday pay rates.

"This policy is retrogressive. It shows the National Party has no plan to lift wages, instead undermine hard working Wairarapa employees by stripping them of their work rights" MacKenzie said.

Mrs. MacKenzie believes the 90 day worker probation provision would be detrimental to the Wairarapa community and says local MP John Hayes is contradicting his own promises by supporting such a policy.

"The 'fire-at-will' element of their policy would cripple Wairarapa workers and discourage the growth of our local economy. MP John Hayes promised at the last election that he would work to increase wages and living standards; I now challenge him to tell Wairarapa workers why he supports a policy that contradicts these promises. It is my belief that in order to improve wages and living standards workers must keep their basic work rights which encompass job security and fairness. This policy promotes the total opposite"

Mrs. MacKenzie says this policy would only encourage low wages and low living standards, and urges Wairarapa workers to wake up to this harmful policy.

"Wairarapa workers deserve a fair deal and under this policy the National Party will only take New Zealand backwards. I urge Wairarapa workers to take heed of this plan of attack, and remember what political party promotes a 'will-to-fire' policy when they go to the ballot later this year." MacKenzie concluded

ENDS

© Scoop Media