John Key swore the new anti-worker laws wouldn’t rob workers of their tea breaks, Cotton On threatened to do just that…
Fashion chain targets workers’ tea breaks – union
High street fashion chain Cotton On has become the first company to attempt to invoke the Government’s ‘tea break’ law, First Union claims.
The Australian retail chain, which has more than 80 stores across New Zealand, has entered a last minute claim in collective agreement negotiations to strip tea and meal breaks from their workers’ contracts, First Union general secretary Robert Reid said.
Strike action now looks likely.
It follows the introduction in October last year of a law that took away the legal right to a tea break. The Employment Relations Amendment Bill also weakened collective bargaining.
“The Prime Minister reassured New Zealanders that ‘post the passing of this law, will you all of a sudden find thousands of workers who are denied having a tea break? The answer is absolutely not’. We now know the Prime Minister’s assurance was misleading,” Mr Reid said today.
Since then though a massive social media backlash has terrified Cotton On into dumping the plan, but this has only happened because of that, not because Key’s assurances meant anything. The criticisms made at the time the legislation went through that companies would try and take workers breaks off them have turned out to be completely true. Key isn’t passing laws for the betterment of society, he’s passing them for the powerful.
Yes well , I remember people saying that it would affect more small businesses than large company’s….inasmuch as deferring breaks under urgency as agreed between employers and employees.
BULLSHIT !
I and other’s were not fooled then and we certainly aren’t under any illusions about it now.
The proof of what Key was angling for – surreptitiously of course – was for this to catch on amongst employers and become common practice.
He knew damn well well what he was doing.
The same sort of bullshit we used to hear about the Employment Contracts Act…..that it would mean ‘flexibility ‘ and more ‘choices’ .
Like hell it would !!!
More ‘ flexibility ‘ to pay workers a minimum wage and a flat rate , more to the truth.
And more ‘ choices ‘ for employers to pick among desperate workers who will work for the shittiest low wages and conditions.
ANYTHING dreampt up by these neo liberals has a double meaning – how long does it take for people to get wise to these criminals ???
And how long does it take to realize the biggest , richest union of them all – THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE heartily back and lobby these neo liberal scum suckers ???
Stop being so naive and trusting , NZ….its getting embarrassing.
Oh , and by the way …congratulations for your victory , Winston .
Again, wild Katipo, you took the words right out of my mouth. It is sad so many are blind to this government.
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