The Government ignored advice from the Department of Labour against changing the rules around union access to workplaces, documents released today show.The rules were changed in a bill passed by Parliament last week so that union representatives can't vis
The Government ignored advice from the Department of Labour against changing the rules around union access to workplaces, documents released today show.
The rules were changed in a bill passed by Parliament last week so that union representatives can't visit a workplace without the consent of the employer. Consent can't be unreasonably withheld.
Documents released under the Official Information Act showed the department told Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson there didn't appear to be widespread evidence of union representatives exercising their current rights to enter workplaces in an inappropriate way.
"The current policy settings around union access are working well for both employers and employees, and (are) providing an appropriate balance of fairness to employers, employees and unions under current arrangements," Ms Wilkinson was told.
"The department recommends no change to current provisions relating to union access to workplaces."
Another document from the department said there was no evidence employers were dissatisfied with current arrangements.
Another law change, in the same bill, affected the Holidays Act and allowed employees to cash in a fourth week of leave if they wanted to.
In a background briefing on holidays generally, the department told the minister some casual employees were denied entitlements.
"The viability of some sectors with a highly casual labour force may be maintained in part by employers not providing access to holiday and leave entitlements -- either deliberately or because of misconceptions about their entitlements," the department said.
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