Another Day, Another Attack On Workers' Rights - Employers Can Dock Pay Of Workers Who Take Partial Strike Action
The Government's anti-worker agenda has stepped up with the passing into law last night the right for employers to dock the pay of workers who take low level strike action.
The Employment Relations (Pay Deductions for Partial Strikes) Amendment Bill allows employers to deduct 10% of a worker's wage for partial strike action such as not performing a task.
"It's clear what the agenda is here, this Government wants to give employers even more tools and power to keep wages down and profits high," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
"The new law is all about weakening the position of workers when involved in collective bargaining that becomes difficult to settle.
"There are already only a small range of tools available to workers when negotiations fail. "Every time the Government takes away one of those tools, or puts a price on using them, the power imbalance gets worse, and workers pay the price.
"The vast majority of collective agreements are settled without industrial action as employers and working people agree on pay and conditions but when that agreement is difficult to find, there are tools that both sides can use help to find agreement. This includes mediation or facilitation ordered by the Employment Relations Authority.
"If that fails, low level strike action, agreed by union members through a ballot, is a tool workers can use to make their concerns loud and clear to employers.
"If the Government keeps raiding the toolkit as they are here, they actually risk opening the door to escalating strike action and longer stoppages when the only tool left is a sledgehammer.
"This is another win for employers, the latest in a long series of extreme anti-worker policies - cancelling pay equity rules, axing of fair pay agreements, the 90 day fire at will law, tightening personal grievance rules, low minimum wage increases and the prospect of cutting sick pay for part-time workers now on the radar.
"This government has no shame in pursuing an agenda that is blatantly all about giving more power to employers and beating down on workers - the PSA will continue to resist strongly."
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