MP rejects union threats on jobs bill

National Party MP Wayne Mapp is rejecting union threats and says he will not withdraw his bill which would impose a 90-day probation period on new employees.

Dr Mapp's bill passed its first reading in Parliament last month, but yesterday the country's largest union gave him 90 days to withdraw it or face mass industrial protest.

Andrew Little, national secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, said the bill was "a naked attack on workers' employment rights".

He said if it was not withdrawn there would be a protest starting with a stopwork meeting and a march on Parliament on July 20.

Dr Mapp said the threat was "ridiculous".

"I am not going to be held to ransom by threats of this nature," he said last night.

"The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union needs to grow up and consider what this bill will do for disadvantaged workers."

He said many fundamental rights for employees would be preserved under his bill, such as pay claims, holiday pay and sick leave.

The bill is now in the hands of a select committee, which is going to hear public submissions on it.

The Government and the Green Party opposed it on its first reading, but it passed with the support of New Zealand First, ACT, United Future and three Maori Party MPs.

When it was debated, National MPs said it would get rid of "complicated and expensive" personal grievance procedures which made employers unwilling to take on some workers.

They said it would help "vulnerable people" like unemployed youths and immigrants with poor language skills to find jobs.

Government ministers said it was unfair, unnecessary, bad for employers and bad for employees.

- NZPA