Media Release:

Tramways Union joins opposition to attacks on workers' rights

For Immediate release

The Tramways Union joins other New Zealand unions in opposing attacks on industrial laws announced by the government over the weekend.

On Sunday Prime Minister John Key announced the government intended to restrict unions right of entry to workplaces and extend 90 probabtionary employment law to larger employers, along with various other attacks on workers current legal rights.

“There is no evidence that current laws regarding union right of entry to worksite cause any problems for employers” says Wellington Tramways Union Secretary Kevin O'Sullivan. “The proposed law change is clearly aimed at attacking the trade union movement”.

Under current laws trade union organisers are given right of access to workplaces. Despite this many workers are often bullied an intimidated by employers into not joining a trade unions.

Certain employers in the Bus and Coach industry threaten not to give workers full time shifts or threaten workers with the sack if they join a union. Attacks on the right of entry to workers is likely to see an increase in this sort fo behaviour by employers.

The Tramways Union represents bus drivers with branches in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. The union will actively campaign to stop the proposed attacks on workers rights by the government.

ENDS

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