7. DARIEN FENTON (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Labour
Has she received any recent reports regarding the effectiveness of the Employment Relations Act 2000?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister of Labour) Link to this
Actually, I have. I have recently received a report measuring work stoppages under the Employment Relations Act compared with those under the Employment Contracts Act. It shows that the average rate of work stoppages has dropped by 20 percent under the Employment Relations Act. The average rate of working days lost has halved, and wage losses have dropped by 48 percent—and that does not even take into account the fact that many more New Zealanders are employed today than in the 1990s. Those results have been achieved because the Employment Relations Act is both fair and balanced.
Yes, I have. I have seen a number of reports proposing radical changes to the Employment Relations Act that would destroy the successful balance that exists in the current legislation and take us back to the failed, conflict-ridden regime of the past. Those proposals are being put up by the National Party, which seems to be still in denial about the success of the Employment Relations Act.