How Dare You Blame Unions, Mr Peters. You Blew Chance To Block Anti-Worker Law – PSA

PSA calls on NZ First to put workers first, not big business

Winston Peters is simply wrong to blame unions for being too slow to convince New Zealand First to block the Fire at Will Bill when his party knew about unions’ concerns in August last year.

Winston Peters told RNZ NZ First could have stopped the Fire at Will / Uber Bill but unions came to the party too late. The party failed to vote against the Employment Relations Amendment Bill which passed its Third Reading on Tuesday.

“How dare Winston Peters claim unions were too slow when they contacted his party last year when there was plenty of time for him to make a difference,” said Fleur Fitzsimson, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“He had all the time in world in fact – 196 days in fact between the PSA’s first meeting with NZ First last year and the passing of the Bill this Tuesday.

“It’s as simple as this – the party lacked the guts to stand up to the ACT party despite expressing concerns in speeches about the Bill.

“They committed in the Second Reading to make changes to the personal grievance provisions. We held out hope, but nothing happened. Why?

“So, ACT got to write a bill that rips up personal grievance provisions and allows Uber to exploit workers on contracts.

“Here are the facts:

“I got in touch with New Zealand First in August last year and met with their staff in Mr Peters’ office on 5 August. It was a useful meeting, and they put me in touch with their Employment Relations spokesperson, Mark Patterson .

“There were two further constructive meetings with Mark Patterson before the Second Reading of the Bill. He really seemed to give us a fair hearing and asked for possible amendments to take the harsh edges off the proposed legislation.

“And we made a last minute, constructive plea to the party last week delivering a handwritten card to Mr Peters.

“This is the man who claims his party is all about ‘the responsible face of capitalism’. Responsible capitalism means basic protections for workers from unfair treatment which is what personal grievance remedies are all about.

“Mr Peters had every chance to walk the talk but turned a blind eye.

“Once again, Winston Peters and NZ First, have ignored workers, and voted for the most anti-worker legislation in three decades, adding to his party voting with National and ACT to scrap Fair Pay Agreements and pay equity for 150,000 women, supporting 90-day trials and suppressing low minimum wage increases.

“The facts speak for themselves. NZ First, like National, is simply the lap dog of the anti-worker ACT party. You must wonder what price has Mr Peters extracted for his party to back the Bill.

“Workers will never forget this latest betrayal – the PSA will be reminding voters come the election what NZ First really stands for – putting the Coalition Government’s business mates first, not New Zealand workers.”