Union continues fight against 90-day law

New Zealand's largest private sector union has launched a campaign against the 90-day trial period for new employees, which comes into full effect on Friday.

The trial period was previously limited to employers with 20 or fewer staff until a law change last year extended it to all businesses.

The bill was vigorously opposed by unions and the Labour and Greens.

A campaign launched today by the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU), which represents 43,000 workers, is demanding employers pledge not to make use of the trial period.

Law changes had also restricted union access, allowed employers to demand medical certificates for a single day of leave, and allowed a fourth week of holiday entitlement to be traded in, the union said.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said hundreds of union delegates and organisers were asking employers to pledge not to use the "unfair" laws, and were putting forward claims for collective agreements that strengthened fairness at work.

The campaign would be backed by radio and newspaper advertising and online social media.

Mr Little said the law would protect bad employer behaviour and make it harder for workers to have their voices heard in the workplace.

"Workers are entitled to be safe in their place of work, to exercise their freedom of choice about belonging to a union and to be treated fairly and properly by their employer," he said.

"Employers are very good at demanding standards of behaviour for employees. Employees are also entitled to demand acceptable standards of behaviour from their employers."

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson said during the bill's third reading last year that the probation period had been a success.

"Rather than the sky falling in, as was hysterically proclaimed, employers of small and medium-sized businesses gained the confidence to hire new employees," she said.

"It is a fact that without the trial period, hundreds of New Zealand workers would not have the jobs they currently do have."

Ms Wilkinson said businesses did not want to face a personal grievance if they hired someone who turned out to be unsuitable.

"They simply chose not to hire anyone. The 90-day trial has changed that."

- NZPA