Latest news with #FleurFitzsimons
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Betrayal Of Women Over Pay Equity Laid Bare In Budget Poll - Time To Reverse Decision
A Budget poll lays bare how deeply unpopular the Government's decision to scrap pay equity rules under urgency has become. The Post/Freshwater Strategy Poll today shows many New Zealanders oppose the Government axing pay equity claims and making it harder to push for new claims - nearly four out of ten opposed the decision and just over four out of ten said the move damaged their confidence in the Government's commitment to gender equality. "The Government decided to scrap pay equity for women to pay for tax cuts for business in this year's budget - New Zealanders are seeing that plain and simple and they don't like it," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. "This was wage theft and no amount of spin by the Government has convinced many New Zealanders who see the move done under urgency for what is - a betrayal that impacts wives, mothers, daughters and their families. "It was morally wrong to cancel women's claims for pay equity without telling New Zealanders during the election or even in government, and without a democratic select committee process, but it's not too late for the Government to do the right thing by women. "This outrageous decision will keep damaging the Government - the PSA calls on the Government to settle the 33 claims it scrapped and restore the pay equity process. "That will help over 150,000 women get the wage increase they need and deserve and many New Zealanders clearly agree. "Pay equity is also critical to help many deal with the cost of living which still worries New Zealanders. The poll shows a majority don't think the Budget will help reduce pressures on the household budget from rising prices. "What's more nearly two thirds worry the Government's spending cuts will damage the public services they rely on. This is what the PSA warned all along. "The poll should be a wake-up call. New Zealanders are clearly telling the Government it is taking the country in the wrong direction, and is failing women and households. Restoring pay equity and public services would be a start." Notes The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
All Workers Will Now Be Able To Be Fired At Will - The Govt Has No Shame
All workers will be in the firing line for instant dismissal regardless of circumstances under a law change now before Parliament. Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brook van Velden has introduced the Employment Relations Amendment Bill which will make it harder for workers to bring personal grievance claims. "This is plainly and simply a fundamental erosion of workers' rights to secure employment - the Minister is effectively giving employers the green light to fire workers at will," said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. "It will be virtually impossible for a worker to bring a successful personal grievance if unfairly sacked. This is a radical change for every workplace in New Zealand, again exposing the Government's priority to make life easier for employers, harder for workers. "If a worker is dismissed unjustifiably, the only remedy is through a personal grievance. There is no problem here the Government is trying to solve. The current remedies are already very limited with reinstatement only being ordered in 16 cases at the Employment Relations Authority in 2024 according to their Annual Report. "But now the Bill will make it easier for employers to find a way to undermine any personal grievance claim by establishing some conduct by the worker that contributed to a dismissal. "Under the Bill, an employer will be able to amplify any conduct by the workers - it won't be hard for some justification to be found to defend against the claim. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading "This is all about weakening any claim and discouraging a worker from bringing a claim in the first place. That will mean workers will find it much harder to be reinstated which is ultimately what most workers want or get compensation for hurt and humiliation. "The Minister trumpeted the changes as all about 'labour market flexibility'. We heard the same thing in 1991 with the Employment Contracts Act which the Government then promised would increase productivity. That didn't happen, it just stripped workers of rights and emboldened employers. "We are seeing the same playbook now with planned cuts to sick pay, pay equity, the 90-day fire at will law, weakening health and safety requirements for employers and the axing of Fair Pay Agreements. "That all amounts to less secure employment, lower wages and more dangerous workplaces. "The Government has no shame and workers across New Zealand will pay the price for that for years to come."
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Private Health Contracts Advance Govt's Health Privatisation Agenda
The Government's directive to Health New Zealand to give 10-year contracts to private hospitals for elective surgeries is a further step towards privatisation of health care, the PSA says. Stripping money out of the public health system to pay private, for-profit providers will not solve the Government's underfunding of health, Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says. "The long-term result of outsourcing to private providers will continue to weaken the provision of public health care by starving it of funds, giving the Government a further excuse to privatise more and more healthcare. "The plan to contract to private hospital long-term is ushering in the privatisation of the health system, which will inevitably mean syphoning money off from providing health services for all to pay profits to private corporations. This will result in only those who can pay being able to access adequate health care and other vital services. "The Government wants to drive us towards a US-style health system where the private sector dominates and sick people without health insurance are left at hospital doors. "The Minister says he is unapologetic about his directive, but the directive was kept under wraps for months. "If you judge the Government by its actions not its words, it is clear this lack of transparency is cover for privatisation by stealth of public health care. "Public health services belong to all of us and are there to deliver for people not shareholders. "Privatisation will also mean that the workers who deliver quality public, health services will see their livelihoods threatened by redundancies and reduced pay and conditions," Fitzsimons says. The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Sick Leave is a Right, Not a Reward: Ngarewa-Packer
Te Pāti Māori is calling out the Government's proposed changes to sick leave entitlements as a cruel step backwards that punishes low-income, part-time, single parents and essential workers. We staunchly support the concerns raised by PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, that this move will disproportionately harm wāhine, who are most likely to take time off to care for sick children and whānau. 'This Government's obsession with attacking women, predominantly Māori and Pacific women, ignores equity and endangers public health' said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. 'Sick leave is a right, not a reward. Cutting sick leave reinforces inequality, fuels presenteeism, and increases the risk of outbreaks in workplaces and schools. It's a betrayal of the frontline workers this country relied on during COVID-19. 'The increase to 10 days was a hard-won gain. Workers need time to recover, not punishment for being sick. Reversing this isn't 'long-needed reform' it's short-sighted austerity' said Ngarewa-Packer. Te Pāti Māori urges all parties to oppose any erosion of sick leave entitlements and stand with the workers who carry this country every day.
Scoop
14-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
ERA Releases Recommendations To Settle Te Roopu Taurima Dispute Due To Public Interest
Press Release – PSA The PSA welcomes the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) making public its recommendations for settling a Collective Agreement with workers employed by disability support provider Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The recommendations, made after four days of hearings with an independent ERA Facilitator involving Te Roopu Taurima and the PSA representing 38 workers, had been confidential. However, the ERA has now released them as they are a matter of public interest, said Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons. The trust was seeking to unduly restrict secondary employment that many of the underpaid workers rely on, and to impose a 90-day trial period for new workers into the Collective Agreement. The ERA recommendations include reference to the current salary for kaitaataki (leaders in the houses providing residential disability support) not having increased for two years. It recommends an increase from $70,500 to $74,000 from 31 May 2025 and an increase to $77,600 from 31 May 2026. Other recommendations include: – No 90-day trial or probationary period; – Lump sum payments of $500 and $1200 over two years to reflect the bargaining period; – The payments to be made for extra hours; and – A process around secondary employment. 'The Authority has made the right call here in publicly releasing the recommendations that would settle the ongoing industrial dispute at Te Roopu Taurima. The parties are due to attend mediation in Auckland on Monday,' said Fitzsimons. 'The PSA did not get everything we wanted in the ERA recommendations but we accept the work of the ERA and are confident the recommendations will settle the dispute. 'The recommendations from the ERA come after an ongoing industrial dispute that has involved strikes, a lockout, which the union is contesting in the Employment Court, a threatened suspension as well as the four days spent with the independent ERA facilitator. Te Roopu Taurima Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust is the country's largest provider of kaupapa Māori-based support for people with disabilities in residential facilities in Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury. 'Kaitaataki play a critical role in the work of Te Roopu Taurima including in looking after vulnerable tangata, they want to put this dispute behind them and get on with their work. 'We call on Te Roopu Taurima to immediately accept the recommendations of the Employment Relations Authority so that this dispute is settled,' Fitzsimons said.
