National going way beyond 2008 industrial relations policy

National appears to be going significantly further than it said it would prior to the 2008 election with new policy regarding probationary periods for workers, Green Party Industrial Relations spokesperson Keith Locke said today.

Just after the election, Prime Minister John Key assured reporters that his Government would stick to the promises outlined in National’s pre-election industrial relations policy.

“There will be some changes and the 90-day probationary period for companies with twenty employees or less will take place [but] we are not moving from the Employment Relations Act back to the Employment Contracts Act and we never were,” Mr Key told media when announcing his Cabinet line-up in late November 2008.

Today a discussion document issued by Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson includes options that include extending beyond 90 days the ‘trial period’ during which workers cannot take a personal grievance.

“The discussion document is softening the ground for legislation weakening workers’ access to personal grievance procedures,” said Mr Locke.

“There is also a suggestion to increase the range of companies this trial period applies – beyond those with 20 employees or less.

“Mr Key was clear when he outlined the new Government’s industrial relations policy – the probationary period would come in, but for 90 days and only for companies with 20 employees or less.

“Other ‘options’ in the discussion document include reducing the time workers have to get their personal grievance case together, and removing the right from some higher paid workers – as if they don’t have grievances.

"Removing the reinstatement of wronged workers as a 'primary remedy' would also tilt the playing field against workers.

“If the Government pushes through these extensions to industrial relations policy, then how can their other pre-election promises be trusted?” said Mr Locke.

Link: Mr Key talks about industrial relations policies right at the end of the embedded audio in this story
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00235.htm