Latest news with #EmploymentRelationsAct2000
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Calendar Girls strip club forced to remove posts about women suing firm
The owners of the Calendar Girls strip clubs have been forced to take down posts identifying dancers suing the firm. Seven women are currently pursuing an application in the Employment Court for a declaration of their employment status. A non-publication order was issued in May suppressing their identities after they raised concerns about their safety and damage to their reputations due to the stigma attached to the work they had been doing. One of the women has now returned to court alleging breaches of the order by Calendar Girls NZ Ltd, the company named as the defendant in their case. Chief Employment Court Judge Christina Inglis hastily scheduled a hearing this week to hear the woman. "I accorded urgency to the application given the nature of the alleged breaches and the concerns that had underpinned the making of the orders of non-publication in the first place," the judge said in a recent judgment. Lawyers get together The urgent hearing was set down for Thursday but was cancelled after lawyers for both sides got together and agreed non-publication orders should be respected. "The defendants confirm that they have removed all offending posts," Judge Inglis said. However, her judgment did not detail what was in the posts. The seven women are seeking a declaration that they were employees of Calendar Girls NZ Ltd under the Employment Relations Act 2000. Being an employee, rather than a contractor, gives entitlement to a wider range of legal protections, including minimum conditions, protection from discrimination, health and safety, and the ability to bargain collectively. In 2023, dancers from the Wellington Calendar Girls club attempted to bargain collectively after being offered a contract that they said was "manipulative". Nineteen were told to clear out their lockers and not to come back to work through a Facebook post after asking for changes to the way they were being paid. In seeking non-publication orders in the current case, filed in the Wellington Employment Court, the seven women raised several concerns about having their identities made public. Women in the clubs use a professional name while working there, and are instructed not to give their real names to customers. However, their case in the Employment Court has been taken using their real names. The women involved in the case feared publication of their identities would "severely impact" their employment and housing prospects, and their ability to travel. They said the stigma attached to their work at Calendar Girls had already led to judgments about their morality and respectability. The women are all young and fear damage to their reputations and the impact on their families. They also said they had safety concerns about former clients and members of the public. Dismissed from a government job One of the women is a member of a church and is worried about others in the congregation finding out. Others have had tenancy applications declined, and another woman said she was dismissed from a government agency when it became known she had worked in the sex industry. Judge Inglis has now made orders instructing Calendar Girls not to disclose the names, identifying particulars, or photographs of the seven women who have taken the case. She said this applied to "all forms of communication, including oral, written, electronic and any other medium". The substantive case has been set down to be heard in a five-day fixture in February 2026. Calendar Girls NZ Ltd is a Christchurch-based company which operates clubs in Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown. - Ric Stevens, Open Justice reporter
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Strip club forced to remove posts about women suing firm
The owners of the Calendar Girls strip clubs have been forced to take down posts identifying dancers suing the firm. Seven women are currently pursuing an application in the Employment Court for a declaration of their employment status. A non-publication order was issued in May suppressing their identities after they raised concerns about their safety and damage to their reputations due to the stigma attached to the work they had been doing. One of the women has now returned to court alleging breaches of the order by Calendar Girls NZ Ltd, the company named as the defendant in their case. Chief Employment Court Judge Christina Inglis hastily scheduled a hearing this week to hear the woman. "I accorded urgency to the application given the nature of the alleged breaches and the concerns that had underpinned the making of the orders of non-publication in the first place," the judge said in a recent judgment. Lawyers get together The urgent hearing was set down for Thursday but was cancelled after lawyers for both sides got together and agreed non-publication orders should be respected. "The defendants confirm that they have removed all offending posts," Judge Inglis said. However, her judgment did not detail what was in the posts. The seven women are seeking a declaration that they were employees of Calendar Girls NZ Ltd under the Employment Relations Act 2000. Being an employee, rather than a contractor, gives entitlement to a wider range of legal protections, including minimum conditions, protection from discrimination, health and safety, and the ability to bargain collectively. In 2023, dancers from the Wellington Calendar Girls club attempted to bargain collectively after being offered a contract that they said was "manipulative". Nineteen were told to clear out their lockers and not to come back to work through a Facebook post after asking for changes to the way they were being paid. In seeking non-publication orders in the current case, filed in the Wellington Employment Court, the seven women raised several concerns about having their identities made public. Women in the clubs use a professional name while working there, and are instructed not to give their real names to customers. However, their case in the Employment Court has been taken using their real names. The women involved in the case feared publication of their identities would "severely impact" their employment and housing prospects, and their ability to travel. They said the stigma attached to their work at Calendar Girls had already led to judgments about their morality and respectability. The women are all young and fear damage to their reputations and the impact on their families. They also said they had safety concerns about former clients and members of the public. Dismissed from a government job One of the women is a member of a church and is worried about others in the congregation finding out. Others have had tenancy applications declined, and another woman said she was dismissed from a government agency when it became known she had worked in the sex industry. Judge Inglis has now made orders instructing Calendar Girls not to disclose the names, identifying particulars, or photographs of the seven women who have taken the case. She said this applied to "all forms of communication, including oral, written, electronic and any other medium". The substantive case has been set down to be heard in a five-day fixture in February 2026. Calendar Girls NZ Ltd is a Christchurch-based company which operates clubs in Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown. - Ric Stevens, Open Justice reporter
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Calendar Girls strip clubs forced to take down posts about women involved in employment dispute
Chief Employment Court Judge Christina Inglis hastily scheduled a hearing this week to hear the woman. Women at the Wellington Calendar Girls club were told to clear out their lockers after attempting to bargain collectively in 2023. Photo / Google maps 'I accorded urgency to the application given the nature of the alleged breaches and the concerns that had underpinned the making of the orders of non-publication in the first place,' the judge said in a recent judgment. Lawyers get together The urgent hearing was set down for Thursday but was cancelled after lawyers for both sides got together and agreed non-publication orders should be respected. 'The defendants confirm that they have removed all offending posts,' Judge Inglis said. However, her judgment did not detail what was in the posts. The seven women are seeking a declaration that they were employees of Calendar Girls NZ Ltd under the Employment Relations Act 2000. Being an employee, rather than a contractor, gives entitlement to a wider range of legal protections, including minimum conditions, protection from discrimination, health and safety, and the ability to bargain collectively. In 2023, dancers from the Wellington Calendar Girls club attempted to bargain collectively after being offered a contract that they said was 'manipulative'. Nineteen were told to clear out their lockers and not to come back to work through a Facebook post after asking for changes to the way they were being paid. In seeking non-publication orders in the current case, filed in the Wellington Employment Court, the seven women raised several concerns about having their identities made public. Women in the clubs use a professional name while working there, and are instructed not to give their real names to customers. Chief Employment Court Judge Christina Inglis has made a non-publication order over the women's names and identifying details. Photo / George Heard However, their case in the Employment Court has been taken using their real names. The women involved in the case feared publication of their identities would 'severely impact' their employment and housing prospects, and their ability to travel. They said the stigma attached to their work at Calendar Girls had already led to judgments about their morality and respectability. The women are all young and fear damage to their reputations and the impact on their families. They also said they had safety concerns about former clients and members of the public. Dismissed from a government job One of the women is a member of a church and is worried about others in the congregation finding out. Others have had tenancy applications declined, and another woman said she was dismissed from a government agency when it became known she had worked in the sex industry. Judge Inglis has now made orders instructing Calendar Girls not to disclose the names, identifying particulars, or photographs of the seven women who have taken the case. She said this applied to 'all forms of communication, including oral, written, electronic and any other medium'. The substantive case has been set down to be heard in a five-day fixture in February 2026. Calendar Girls NZ Ltd is a Christchurch-based company which operates clubs in Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown. Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME's Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke's Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of front-line experience as a probation officer.
Scoop
16-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Public Submissions Open On The Employment Relations Amendment Bill
The Education and Workforce Committee is calling for public submissions on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. This bill proposes changes to the Employment Relations Act 2000, which is the principal piece of employment legislation that regulates employment relationships. It aims to make New Zealand's business settings more competitive, and to give businesses the confidence and support to grow, hire, and innovate. The bill seeks to reduce compliance requirements and associated costs, including for small-to-medium-sized businesses. In particular, the bill seeks to: provide greater certainty for contracting parties amend the personal grievance process for employees introduce a wages and salary threshold for unjustified dismissal personal grievances remove the '30-day' rule to support an expansion of 90-day trials at the start of employment. Make a submission on the bill by 2.00pm on Wednesday, 13 August 2025.
Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Academic calls out ‘toxic' school
Duncan Connors. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH An academic has taken his grievances to Parliament to blow the whistle on the University of Otago's "toxic" Business School. Dr Duncan Connors appeared before a select committee to oppose a law change which would make it easier for employers to sack people. Dr Connors, who was a lecturer in the university's Business School until last year, said his experience showed why the law change was a bad idea. Dr Connors said he departed the institution after reaching a confidential settlement with the university following an 18-month ordeal which had "a serious impact on my health, wellbeing and family life". He had also heard from "many staff members across the Business School and wider university who describe a difficult — and at times, toxic — working environment". "These accounts parallel my own experience and deserve to be heard." The ODT yesterday received calls from three Business School staff, who shared concerns about the culture and alleged bullying. Earlier this year, the Otago Daily Times obtained an inter-department survey of the School of Business' marketing department, which reported low levels of morale as well as bullying and racism. While the sample size was small, the findings were significantly poorer than other departments and the university as a whole when it came to culture and behaviour. Dr Connors has asked for a private meeting with vice-chancellor Grant Robertson to discuss these matters. "It is now at a stage where we need to find a resolution," he told the ODT. "The university is not going to solve these challenges without having the discussion. "This is why I gave evidence — my colleagues deserve to enjoy long, productive careers at an institution of global renown, without feeling compelled to accept a managed exit and settlement as their only way out." The Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill allows for protected negotiations to occur between an employer and an employee to terminate the employee's contract if, for example, the demands of the business means it is imperative to dismiss the employee. Dr Connors urged Parliament not to pass the Bill. "Too many New Zealanders experience difficulties at work not of their own making or choice. The process of redress can become so fraught, so exhausting, that they accept a managed exit or settlement as the only viable option. "This culture of quick redundancies and quiet departures is now embedded in New Zealand's employment landscape. While enabled by the Employment Relations Act 2000, it is not conducive to national productivity or social cohesion. "The proposed Bill would only make this situation worse." Asked about Dr Connors' comments, a university spokeswoman said "the university continues to respect the legal agreement, so will not be making any comment". "The university is committed to reducing risk for all our employees and students and as such has a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying. "Our ethical behaviour policy promotes ethical interactions between members of the university community to provide a safe and respectful environment. "The policy includes the processes for action and where to source advice and support." Dr Connors said despite his ordeal he held no ill will towards the university or his former colleagues. "Otago remains one of the cornerstones of New Zealand's system of higher education, and I continue to value its national contribution."
