The Employment Relations Amendment Bill returned to parliament for its second reading yesterday evening.

The Bill had drawn strong opposition from workers last year. Over 10,000 people made submissions opposing the Bill. The Human Rights Commission noted that the Bill will breach international obligations to protect employee’s rights if it passes. However it passed through the select committee process late last year with the support of National Party MPs.

CTU president Helen Kelly called the Bill a mean-spirited attack on workers and their families.

“This Government listens to employers but plugs its ears when workers are speaking. Over 12,000 workers wrote submissions calling on the Government not to make these changes to employment rights. These voices have not been listened to in any way.”

The Bill removes the employer’s duty to conclude a collective agreement. It weakens collective bargaining, making it easier for employers to cut pay and conditions or threaten to walk away from bargaining altogether.

The Bill proposes to take away the right of new employees to get the terms and conditions union members have previously negotiated, as an individual agreement, in their workplace for the first 30 days. That legal right is there to protect new employees and give them a chance to find out about what rights they have in terms of pay and conditions and decide on union membership if they wish.

The Bill also proposes to take away workers’ right to know why their employer has made them redundant and removes employers’ duty to give tea breaks and meal breaks.