Hawke's Bay small business owners hired hundreds of new staff over the last few years. So why are Labour and NZ First currently pushing pro-union employment law changes through Parliament, significantly increasing costs for small business owners and putting jobs in danger?
We have one of the strongest job markets in the world. Over the last two years 245,000 additional New Zealanders have got a job. That's more families supporting their kids or saving for a house. We currently have the third highest rate of employment in the developed world and one of the highest rates of full-time employment.
Despite this success, Labour is willing to put it at risk to help their union backers. The Government is driving employment law changes through Parliament that will make it harder for businesses to innovate to boost productivity, increase red tape for hiring new staff, and give unions rights they haven't had before. In fact, the Employment Relations Amendment Bill contains 14 changes which will add costs to businesses and make it harder to compete.
Changes include scrapping of 90-day trial periods for all except small businesses therefore reducing job opportunities for vulnerable workers; making it compulsory for all employees to be treated and paid as if on a union collective contract for their first 30 days; and the scrapping of "vulnerable workers" contract transfer exemption for SMEs.
The Government fails to explain why these changes are needed. In an environment of record job growth, they make no sense for the New Zealand economy, employers, or the 82 per cent of workers who do not belong to a union. It appears this is all a simple payoff for Labour's union supporters at the expense of everyone else.
But, the good news is it is not too late to make your voice heard. Members of Parliament are currently reviewing the bill and a consultation is open for submissions until 30 March. If you want help making sense of how the changes affect you and putting in your own submission, check out the website: protectnzjobs.co.nz
The more submissions Parliament receives, the more the Labour-NZ First Government will have to listen to people's concerns. New Zealanders need to reject Labour's pro-union law changes now or there will be even more harmful reforms later in the year, including the ability of the Government to dictate pay rates across entire industries.
I urge you to visit http://www.protectnzjobs.co.nz/make_a_submission and make your voice heard before 30 March.
Lawrence Yule is MP for Tukituki.
