National attacks workers, protects bosses

Pay cut clause cut out of job support scheme proposals
It was originally intended that bosses whose companies moved to a Government subsidised nine-day fortnight would have had to take pay cuts as well, it was reported tonight. TVNZ news said the planned forced pay cut was dropped due to lobbying from business. The scheme lets private sector businesses, workers and unions negotiate voluntary agreements to reduce their hours of work to a nine-day fortnight. The Government pays employers $12.50 an hour per worker – the adult minimum wage – for up to five hours a fortnight. Management of at least one firm that took up the scheme took pay cuts but Social Development Minister Paula Bennett told TVNZ it would have been too complex to make it mandatory.

Who woulda thunk it? National, the party of big business and farmers, who has tickled NZers with their aspirational promise of crumbs latter, decided after being told by their big boss mates, NOT to make the bosses part of taking a cut in pay. This 9 day fortnight was always a scam. Effectively it cuts 10% of a workers income in return for a $50 subsidy which is only available if you work 10 hours on your 10th day (not many workers do that) so it was always costing workers, and it was supposed to put bosses in the same boat. But after being lobbied by business, National gave their boss mates a get out of the 9 day fortnight card for free.

Nice to see where National’s heart is and how easily the business lobby were able to change it.