National lied to Unions

PM broke his word to unions says Kelly
A union leader has written a "Dear John" letter to Prime Minister John Key, effectively announcing a divorce between unions and the Government and accusing him of breaking his word.

Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly has criticised Mr Key for leaving the unions out of the labour law reforms he announced last weekend at the party's national conference. The changes include extending the 90-day trial period to all employers and requiring employer consent for union access to workplaces.

Yesterday, Ms Kelly published a letter she wrote to Mr Key saying the CTU was reassessing its relationship with the Government. She said he had breached his undertaking to consult her if the Government was going to move on union access and non-union collective bargaining.

"You also said you wanted to work with the unions," she wrote. "And you portrayed yourself as a moderating influence in employment law matters. That has changed."

Of course John lied to the Unions to declare this war against them, Key isn't doing this to create jobs or employ those on the margins (The Department of Labour report actually states that the 90 day right to sack won't achieve those goals at all). Key is launching these Union busting laws to boost corporate donations to the 2011 electoral war chest.

Based on the very trial that Key has used to make his case, the bossman sacked 22% of workers, we have 400 000 new workers each year, John Key's Union busting laws could actually sack 80 000 workers. This is great for Nationals bossmates as that uncertainty and the high unemployment easily allow for exploitation.

The 90 day right to sack will shut down people moving from their current job to take up a new one because they don't know if they are going to keep that new job, it will also impact on spending by those 400 000 new workers who won't be stimulating the economy with their wages as they will cautiously hold onto all they earn in case they are the one in 5 the trial shows get fired by these new right to sack powers.



Workers rights under attack meeting tonight
7pm-9pm Lecture Theatre B28, Library Basement, University of Auckland