Dismissals chief dumped

James Wilson. Photo / Richard Robinson

The head of the body that hears appeals against unjustified dismissals has been dumped.

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has told Employment Relations Authority chief James Wilson his warrant will not be renewed when it expires on May 18.

Mr Wilson, 61, a former employment relations manager of the Auckland District Health Board, has been a member of the authority since it was created 11 years ago and has been its chief for seven years.

But he is not a trained lawyer. He said the Government wanted legally trained people on the authority.

The move comes two weeks after legal changes came into force requiring the authority to allow legal cross-examination of witnesses and give the chief powers to issue instructions to authority members to ensure the authority acts more "judicially".

Three other members of the 17-member authority were not reappointed when their terms expired last year. All their replacements have law degrees. Eight other authority members' warrants expire this year. An advertisement for their jobs published last Saturday said preference would be given to candidates with a legal degree.

Engineers' Union secretary Andrew Little said the changes were disturbing.

"The Government has had pressure from employers - they want lawyers running the thing. It makes the authority process far more complex and intimidating."