Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Contractor model is an attack on workers’ conditions

NZ Post’s contractor model is an attack on workers’ conditions

NZ Post’s announcement today of a “pilot” programme which includes dependent contractors as well as employed posties shows that the organisation has learned nothing from the example of Chorus, says the union for postal workers, the EPMU.

The pilot includes a rollout of new vehicles which can speed up delivery rounds and allow posties to deliver parcels as well as mail. But it also involves the use of dependent contractors, who do the same job as posties but without the same protections in employment law.

“This is the Chorus model,” says Joe Gallagher, EPMU organiser for both the postal and telecommunication industries. “Lay off your employees, force them to buy their own vehicles and equipment, and hire them back on worse terms and conditions with no job security.

“It doesn’t deliver efficiencies, it doesn’t protect jobs, it doesn’t improve service for the customer.

“Using new technology to improve the postal service is one thing, but forcing posties to become dependent contractors is another.

“NZ Post is looking at what countries like Norway have done – but in every case, those countries are using an employee model, not a contractor model. There are no dependent contractors doing this delivery work in New Zealand or any country we want to emulate.

“The only reason to change this is so workers can be denied basic protections, and to pave the way for even more redundancies.

“NZ Post provides a vital public service. It should be run for the public, not driven to cut corners and downgrade deliveries in order to deliver bigger and bigger dividends to the government.”

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.