1. NATHAN GUY (National—Ōtaki) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
What reports has the Government received on the 9-day fortnight?
Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) Link to this
I have received a report today that Fisher and Paykel Appliances has negotiated with its workforce to take up the Government’s 9-day fortnight scheme. As a result, it is my understanding that some 350 workers now have a guaranteed job for the next 6 months and 60 workers who would otherwise have been made redundant have managed to keep their jobs. [ Interruption] I note that the noise coming from Labour members means that they do not support those 350 workers who have kept their jobs. Let us see whether they are talking that tough when they visit Fisher and Paykel Appliances one day. I for one am proud to be leading a Government that has come up with a solution that has seen those workers keep their jobs.
Yes, there are. Fisher and Paykel Appliances has announced that employees will work a 35-hour week, which will be supplemented by an additional 3.5 hours’ pay, consisting of the Government’s scheme and an equivalent contribution from the company. The remaining 1.5 hours per week may be taken as paid leave to ensure continuity of wage levels, and workers will attend a Fisher and Paykel Appliances - funded, in-house training and upskilling programme for the balance of the time. This is a great example of the Government, business, unions, and employees all working together. It is a successful programme.
It is my understanding that as of this morning Work and Income had received 21 inquiries for the job support scheme—21 companies were looking to ensure that they can keep their workforces intact. This is a great example of the success of the Job Summit, and I take it, going by the silence of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is not quite so chipper today.
Hon Phil GoffDoes the advice he has received from his officials that the 60 jobs—not 350 jobs—saved today at Fisher and Paykel Appliances, as cited in the statement from the company, mean that he is now on track—[ Interruption] Can I start again, Mr Speaker, because I cannot be heard over the Government benches—
Mr SPEAKERDoes the advice from the Prime Minister about those 60 jobs—which all of us welcome as having been saved today—mean that the scheme is on track to save the 100,000 jobs that he said the initiative would save at the Job Summit earlier this year?
Firstly, let us get it right. There are 350 workers at Fisher and Paykel Appliances who are guaranteed their jobs for the next 6 months. There would have been many more—up to 60—who would have been made redundant. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to come with me to Fisher and Paykel Appliances, to stand on the shop floor, and to get up and say that he does not care about those workers’ jobs when I get up and say that I do, then he should feel free to join me.
Hon Phil Goff: I seek leave to table two documents. The first is the statement made today by Fisher and Paykel Appliances that it would prevent about 60 redundancies.
Hon Phil Goff: Secondly, I seek leave to table the statement from the Otago Daily Times where Mr Key states that this new scheme—
It is a statement made in the Otago Daily Times, dated 28 February of this year.