The passage of the first reading of the Fair Pay Agreements Bill is forcing New Zealand to return to the industrial relations landscape of the 1970s.

"This regressive piece of legislation will force employers and employees across New Zealand to take part in collective bargaining, and compulsory for them to accept union demands," says Leeann Watson, Chief Executive of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce.

"The Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and the BusinessNZ Network strongly oppose Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs). We will not take part in any bargaining process, and we will not accept any payments as set out in the Fair Pay Agreements Bill.

"FPAs are entirely inconsistent with the flexible, innovative and competitive economy that New Zealand prides itself on.

"Kiwis value their freedom and the flexibility they have. They want to continue to have that flexibility and they want to be able to continue to sit down with their employers to work out what works best for them, in line with most modern workplace practices of today.

"FPAs will force the same pay and conditions for all employees regardless of their circumstances and those of their employer. It is anything but fair and is detrimental to all of New Zealand.

"This is a step back to the 1970s."

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