Christopher Luxon has broken yet another election promise by cutting sick leave for people who work part-time.
“Christopher Luxon has turned his back on people working part-time by breaking his promise not to cut sick leave,” Labour workplace relations and safety spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.
“No one should be forced to work while sick or lose income because they are unwell.
“The Government will argue they are making sensible changes, but their plan puts people at risk. It doesn’t reflect the reality of getting sick – people don’t fall ill on a pro-rated schedule depending on how many hours they work.
“If someone starts a job and gets sick, they should be able to take leave to recover. It’s as simple as that.
“Cutting sick leave for people working part-time will impact women and mothers the most.
“We also need to be clear about the impact these changes will have on different professions, especially those who have no choice over how much they work. New nursing graduates, for example, are only being offered part-time contracts, leaving them with fewer hours to work and reduced access to sick leave.
“The Prime Minister has cut jobs and overseen rising unemployment and is now choosing to make life harder for those who work part-time. He is out of touch with working New Zealanders,” Jan Tinetti said.