September 10, 2009

Media Release

Redundancy Protection desperately needed for laid off workers - Wellington People's Centre

Darien Fenton's redundancy protection bill is desperately needed to help the increasing numbers of Kiwis heading for the benefit, says the Wellington People's Centre.

The Bill is designed to provide a basic level of redundancy payment to give financial breathing space to workers who lose their jobs.

WPC spokesperson Kay Brereton says the centre is seeing increasing numbers of laid-off workers who are unable to even make it through the benefit stand-down period.

"Many people in employment are carrying such high debt commitments that even a week without pay starts a vicious cycle of debt arrears and increased financial burden.

"What makes it worse is that often these workers will have had their hours reduced leading up to being laid off so will already be struggling from the start.

"Finding new work has costs and right now too many people who are losing their jobs are being left without resources to get back into secure employment.

"That's why we've joined the Fair Deal in Hard Times campaign to back the redundancy protection bill and we'll be getting the message out to all of our members and affiliates to make sure they let the government know how important this bill is."

The Wellington People's Centre and it affiliates represent and support thousands of out of work New Zealanders every year.

ENDS

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