fire at will Archive

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  Join the campaign for fairness at work - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  Now that the frivolity of the morning is over, I want to take the opportunity to remind Frogblog readers that today the Government’s new industrial relations laws (PDF) come into effect.  These include extending the fire at will provisions for the first 90 days of employment in a new job to all workplaces, restricting union [...] read more
  April 1, 2011 12:06 pm - 13 Comments
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  Red faces at Green Cabs over fire@will - by frog

  
  
  
  I’ve been a fan of Green Cabs.  They run fleets of hybrid cabs in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and plant trees to offset their carbon emissions. This afternoon I was disappointed to learn that Green Cabs had last Friday fired Millie Francis without notice and without warning, supposedly under the Government’s 90 day fire at [...] read more
  November 17, 2010 7:06 pm - 18 Comments
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  Fear and loathing in the agrarian sector: A rural perspective on fire@will - by frog

  
  
  
  This family not only lost their jobs under the fire at will legislation but have been, hopefully only temporarily, split up by it: Their “crime”, apparently, was to stick up for another worker who was a recent immigrant, and was being victimised in a racist manner by the employer. This family is now off off [...] read more
  November 13, 2010 8:53 pm - 30 Comments
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  You’re using too much sauce and aioli. You’re fired! - by frog

  
  
  
  As the Government presses on with the ACT Party’s policy of extending its fire at will law to all employees in their first 90 days on the job, the NZ Council of Trade Unions are highlighting more instances of employer abuse of the existing fire at will law. Here’s Aaron Greave, a Timaru chef who [...] read more
  November 12, 2010 10:57 am - 46 Comments
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  Make a submission in support of fairness at work - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  Parliament’s Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee has allowed only a very short timeframe for people to make submissions on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill (No 2).  Submissions close on 13 September. If it is passed in its current form, this Bill will: extend the fire at will provisions under which employees can be dismissed [...] read more
  August 30, 2010 1:52 pm - 5 Comments
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  Employment Court deals a blow to fire at will law - by frog

  
  
  
  A couple of weeks ago the NZCTU released a video featuring Heather Smith who had been dismissed under the Government’s fire at will legislation after the ownership of the pharmacy she worked at changed hands. Heather has now had her day in the Employment Court, and has won. Although this is a big victory for Heather, it is only a small victory for fairness in the workplace. The fire at will law needs to be repealed altogether, not... read more
  August 25, 2010 8:17 am - 24 Comments
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  Join the Fairness at Work rallies this weekend – a reminder - by frog

  
  
  
  The NZ Council of Trade Unions are kicking off the fightback against Government attacks on workers’ rights with Fairness at Work rallies in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin this weekend. Please come along and support employees’ right to be treated fairly by their employers. read more
  August 20, 2010 5:57 pm - 15 Comments
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  Sacked on day 85, no reason given - by frog

  
  
  
  Florence Cohen was sacked from her first job on her 85th day of her 90 day trial period. Her employer had expressed no dissatisfaction with her performance, she was given no reason for her dismissal, and she still doesn’t know today what, if anything, she did wrong. You could end up being treated like Florence if you take on a new job, because the Government intends extending its Fire at Will law to all employees in their first... read more
  August 17, 2010 8:56 am - 189 Comments
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  Fire at will law needs to be repealed, not extended - by frog

  
  
  
  If anyone was in any doubt how unfair National’s fire at will legislation is, this video of sacked pharmacy employee Heather Smith’s experience should dispel that doubt.  The legislation needs to be repealed, not extended. Please support the NZ Council of Trade Unions’ Fairness at Work campaign. read more
  August 13, 2010 1:56 pm - 16 Comments
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  PM tells more porkies on fire at will law - by frog

  
  
  
  Fresh from drawing false conclusions from some already shonky Department of Labour research, John Key has again been economical with the truth on the Government’s fire at will legislation.  Here he is telling NZPA:  Mr Key said the unions were hyping up the ability of employers to sack workers, and they had got it wrong. Employers [...] read more
  July 19, 2010 9:00 pm - 47 Comments
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  Shonky research doesn’t justify fire at will extension - by frog

  
  
  
  The Government has released the research upon which it has supposedly based its decision to extend its fire at will legislation to all employees in the first 90 days in a new job. It appears the research was first circulated around the National Party Conference and only later was made public, which in itself is [...] read more
  July 18, 2010 2:41 pm - 86 Comments
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  Say “No” to further erosion of employment rights - by frog

  
  
  
  Brace yourselves for the next attack on employment rights by the National-led Government. A discussion document released by Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson doesn’t look pretty for workers. read more
  March 2, 2010 5:16 pm - 17 Comments
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  Sue Bradford on the “Fire at Will” Bill - by frog

  
  
  
  Sue speaks in the House about the ambiguity in the new 90 day fire at will bill that may prevent fired workers from accessing the dole, despite National’s assurances that this was not their intent: It is this sort of ambiguity that would have been picked up and corrected at a select committee. Ramming this [...] read more
  December 15, 2008 12:03 pm - 74 Comments
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  Greens make bills available if Nats won’t - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  I’ve only just realised, after enquiries with the Parliamentary Library, that even though the Nats made the bills being discussed under urgency available in printed form at about 11.35pm last night, they were not being made available in electronic form. How on earth can the public engage in the discussion if they can’t get access [...] read more
  December 11, 2008 5:06 pm - 44 Comments
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  Nats hit new democratic low - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Sitting in the House. Gerry Brownlee has just told the House that he has the bills that are to be debated under urgency but he won’t table them. What this means is that MPs are going to have to vote and debate bills they will not see until it is tabled. This gives the first [...] read more
  December 10, 2008 11:27 pm - 16 Comments