July 29, 2008

National must stop hiding policy detail - EPMU

If National is serious about the democratic process it must reveal the full extent of its employment policy, says the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

The EPMU has written to National Party leader John Key to officially request a copy of the party's full employment policy after media reports pointed to the existence of a 34 page policy document that was not released with National's one page summary.

EPMU acting national secretary Ged O'Connell says it is critical to the democratic process that the full policy is released.

"New Zealanders rely on strong work rights for higher wages, decent conditions and safe workplaces and they have a democratic right to know National's full plans for their work rights immediately.

"National's one page employment policy release last week was extremely vague and raised some serious questions about what the future for working Kiwis would be under a National government. To find out that the answers to those questions may be being held back by National beggars belief.

"For example we still don't know what National's real intentions are on issues like workers' right to workplace representation, cuts to sick and holiday pay or even their plans for the mediation service.

"If this detail is available in this document National owes it to New Zealand workers and their unions to tell the whole story."

The EPMU represents 50,000 working New Zealanders across 11 industries and will be holding the first of 25 nationwide Work Rights Wage Drive rallies in Christchurch this Friday.

A copy of the EPMU's letter to John Key follows.

ENDS

29th July 2008

John Key
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament
Wellington

Dear Mr Key,

It has come to the EPMU’s attention via Colin James’ column in today’s New Zealand Herald that your party’s employment policy consists of a 34 page document that has not yet been released to the public.

In the interests of transparency and democracy I am writing to you to urgently request a copy of this policy document as we in the EPMU believe it is vital that our members and all working New Zealanders are fully informed about your intentions for their work rights before they go to the polling booth.

Yours,

Ged O’Connell
Acting National Secretary
EPMU

© Scoop Media