Over 6000 written submissions have been made to the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee on the Employment Relations Bill, telling it to reject the Government’s proposed changes, revealed the CTU today. More than 1000 submitters have requested to be heard in person by the committee.

“The CTU is calling on the Government to honour its democratic responsibilities and hear all those submitters that have asked to be heard including those based outside Wellington,” said CTU President Helen Kelly. “The Government rushed the first 90 day fire at will law through under urgency in 2008 and both the Department of Labour research and the CTU campaign have exposed many abuses that have resulted from that change not being fully considered.  The new Bill extends those provisions and removes many other core worker rights.  The least the Government can do is allow workers that have made the effort to submit on the Bill the chance to be heard.”

“Despite a very short timeframe for submissions a large number of workers have expressed their concern. Whether or not these concerns are given the respect they deserve will become clear over the next month or so.”