Redundancy Protection Bill drawn

21 August, 2009

An estimated four out of five New Zealanders have no redundancy protection, but that all could change if Labour MP Darien Fenton's private member's bill to introduce legal redundancy protections passes. 

The Redundancy Protection Bill was drawn from the members' ballot last week and comes before Parliament at a time when 2000 Kiwis a week are losing their jobs, most of them with no redundancy protection.

Council of Trade Unions secretary Peter Conway welcomed the bill's introduction.

"The introduction of this bill is very timely when so many workers are losing jobs without proper notice and with no entitlement to redundancy compensation.

"The CTU calls on all Parties to support this Bill."

Fenton's bill follows a report by the Public Advisory Group on Restructuring and Redundancy which was completed in June 2008, which recommended the Government investigate statutory redundancy compensation and provision of redundancy support.

The report was compiled by representatives from Business NZ, the State Services Commission and the CTU, but the National-led Government has so far declined to act on its recommendations.

The bill will require the National Government's support to pass into law. We'll have more information about what you can do to support the bill in future issues of EPMU News.