Headline: Workers looking at a less happy Xmas?
Kiwi workers may come under increasing pressure to work on Christmas, Easter and Anzac days as the Government scrambles to free up meagre labour inspector resources, says Darien Fenton, Labour’s spokesperson for labour issues.
“Information obtained by Labour under the Official Information Act confirms the Minister of Labour, Simon Bridges, wants to abandon the enforcement of laws that protect workers from having to work on Easter Sunday and ‘reprioritise’ the work labour inspectors do to focus on the growing problem of migrant worker abuse.
“The fact that it only frees up three inspectors out of a total of 25 for the whole of New Zealand makes a mockery of the Minister’s reason for the move – a so-called commitment to tackle the exploitation of migrant workers.
“The Government has only been forced into taking action because of the numerous embarrassing cases that have hit the headlines. However, ignoring laws made by Parliament is not the answer.
“With the labour inspectorate so desperately under-resourced and struggling to do more with less, ‘reprioritisation’ is undoubtedly something Mr Bridges will continue to revisit.
“The result, I suspect, will be the Government turning a blind eye to labour laws governing shop trading hours on Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day.”
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