Labour will roll back the current Government's employment changes and restore a worker-centred framework.
- Pay equity legislation restored in the first 100 days, with an immediate pay rise for 65,000 care and support workers
- Living Wage required for all directly employed workers of government departments and departmental agencies, and at least the Living Wage across the public service and publicly owned organisations
- Fair Pay Agreements legislation introduced in the first 100 days
- Collective agreements the default, with the choice of an individual agreement
- Leave entitlements reinstated that were removed by Holidays Act changes
- Most non-compete clauses banned, and existing terms and conditions protected when a business is sold or a contract changes hands
- Safer workplaces: National's health and safety changes reversed, a new offence of corporate homicide, and ILO Convention 190 ratified
Pay equity and the Living Wage
Labour will restore pay equity legislation in its first 100 days and give an immediate pay rise to 65,000 care and support workers.
Labour will require the Living Wage to be paid to all directly employed workers of government departments and departmental agencies, and ensure the procurement standards are protected.
Labour will pay at least the Living Wage across the public service and publicly owned organisations, and work towards extending it across the wider public sector, starting with schools and hospitals.
Labour will also require employers to publish the pay gaps between different groups of their staff.
Bargaining and job security
Labour will introduce legislation for Fair Pay Agreements in its first 100 days.
Labour will make collective agreements the default, while allowing people to choose an individual agreement.
Labour will review the Employment Relations Act, including minimum compensation redundancy provisions, so that:
- People are better supported when they lose their job
- Unions and employers can work constructively with the government
- Workers can bargain with whoever actually controls their work
Labour will protect people's existing terms and conditions when a business is sold or a contract changes hands, and ban most non-compete clauses in employment agreements.
Leave and gig work
Labour will roll back the current Government's employment changes and restore a worker-centred framework that ensures fair pay, safe workplaces and decent leave.
Labour will reinstate leave entitlements that were removed by Holidays Act changes.
Labour will reject the gateway test and work on greater protections for gig and platform workers. Labour will also work towards ratification of ILO Convention 193, which provides international protections for gig and platform workers.
Safe workplaces
Labour will reverse National's changes to health and safety law and strengthen protections at work.
Labour will create an offence of corporate homicide, and ratify ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment at work.
What is Labour's fairer workplaces policy?
Labour will roll back the current Government's employment changes and restore a worker-centred framework that ensures fair pay, safe workplaces and decent leave. This includes restoring pay equity legislation, introducing Fair Pay Agreements legislation, requiring the Living Wage across the public service, reinstating leave entitlements and strengthening health and safety law.
What will Labour do on pay equity?
Labour will restore pay equity legislation in its first 100 days and give an immediate pay rise to 65,000 care and support workers.
Who will be paid the Living Wage under Labour?
Labour will require the Living Wage to be paid to all directly employed workers of government departments and departmental agencies, and ensure the procurement standards are protected. Labour will pay at least the Living Wage across the public service and publicly owned organisations, and work towards extending it across the wider public sector, starting with schools and hospitals.
Will employers have to publish pay gaps?
Labour will require employers to publish the pay gaps between different groups of their staff.
Will Labour bring back Fair Pay Agreements?
Labour will introduce legislation for Fair Pay Agreements in its first 100 days.
What will happen to collective and individual agreements?
Labour will make collective agreements the default, while allowing people to choose an individual agreement.
What will Labour change in the Employment Relations Act?
Labour will review the Employment Relations Act, including minimum compensation redundancy provisions, so people are better supported when they lose their job, unions and employers can work constructively with the government, and workers can bargain with whoever actually controls their work.
What happens to my terms and conditions if my employer's business is sold?
Labour will protect people's existing terms and conditions when a business is sold or a contract changes hands.
Will Labour ban non-compete clauses?
Labour will ban most non-compete clauses in employment agreements.
What will Labour do for gig and platform workers?
Labour will reject the gateway test and work on greater protections for gig and platform workers. Labour will also work towards ratification of ILO Convention 193, which provides international protections for gig and platform workers.
What will Labour do about the Holidays Act?
Labour will reinstate leave entitlements that were removed by Holidays Act changes.
How will Labour make workplaces safer?
Labour will reverse National's changes to health and safety law and strengthen protections at work. Labour will also create an offence of corporate homicide and ratify ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment at work.
When will Labour's workplace changes start?
Labour will restore pay equity legislation and introduce legislation for Fair Pay Agreements in its first 100 days, and give an immediate pay rise to 65,000 care and support workers.
How does this relate to Labour's other jobs policies?
Fairer Workplaces builds on Labour's Pay Equity policy and sits within Labour's wider plan for good jobs, alongside policies such as the Apprenticeship Boost and the Graduate Nurse Job Guarantee.
Fair pay, safe workplaces and decent leave.
Better starts now.
Sign up to receive the latest announcements directly to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe any time.
