The Employment Relations (Triangular Employment) Bill was last week passed into law in the name of Labour MP Kieran McAnulty with support from Labour, Greens & NZ First.  This was a members’ Bill originally drafted by MWU Organising Director Darien Fenton when she was a Labour MP.  The final Bill gives the right of workers who are employed by one company, but assigned to another to extend any personal grievance claims to both the controlling company (ie the company they are employed by) and the company that they are sent to work in.

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) has released an independent report conducted by economic research company BERL into the validity of sector bargaining.

And the findings are clear - there is no economic reason not to implement sector bargaining but many social and individual wellbeing reasons to do so.

In this issue : donning & doffing action, secondary tax and meals & rest breaks

The Government is making it easier to pay the right amount of tax when you work more than one job. Now, when IRD collects tax they will check you are paying the right amount. If something needs to change they will contact you. They might give you a new tax code or suggest you apply for a Tailored Tax Code to change the amount of tax you pay.

You can also contact IRD on 0800 775 247yourself to check your tax code or ask for a Tailored Tax Code.

Even if you have not got a new tax code, if you have paid too much tax during the year, the IRD will now automatically refund it into your bank account after the end of the year (so make sure your bank account details are up to date). If you have not paid enough tax at the end of the year, IRD will automatically let you know and tell you how long you have to pay what you owe.

NZ Meat Workers Union media release 

The Meat Workers Union (MWU) has welcomed the judgement of the Court of Appeal today declining an appeal from Meat Industry employers against an Employment Court decision that ruled that "donning & doffing" is “work”, under s 6 of the Minimum Wage Act. 

In this newsletter, MWU conference, farewell to Roger Middlemass, rule changes and 6th May law changes

March was a terrible month, marked by the deep grief of 50 lives lost in shootings at Christchurch mosques. MWU members expressed their sadness in poetry, with contributions and solidarity.

In this issue, growing and uniting, Fair Pay Agreements, a grateful farewell to some stalwarts, and AFFCO ; here we go again.

In this issue, Donning & Doffing Win, Alliance & SFF settlements, Minimum Wage increase and AFFCO initiation.

In a landmark decision for the Meat Industry, the Employment Court has determined that the requirement to don and doff protective hygiene clothing and equipment at the beginning and end of each shift and at rest and meals breaks is “work” under s 6 of the Minimum Wage Act for which the minimum wage should be paid.