10 June, 2009

Claims by the Employers and Manufacturers Association that personal grievances are out of control fly in the face of extensive independent research, says the EPMU.

The employer lobby group had claimed personal grievances are "breaking records" and that workers are treating them like an alternative to buying a Lotto ticket.

However, a Department of Labour study into personal grievances in 2007 found that contrary to employer perceptions the incidence of employment problems is low, and the cost of personal grievance compensation for private sector employers is minimal.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says the EMA is using selective figures in an attempt to undermine personal grievance rights.

"Releasing the information like this looks more like a campaign by the EMA to remove personal grievance rights from all employees than an honest attempt to discuss trends in personal grievances.

"The fact is the EMA's numbers are meaningless without information about the context of each case. The EMA account also fails to record the growing number of cases where orders are being made against workers, for example to reimburse for unreturned property.

"Contrary to the EMA's comments, the high proportion of successful personal grievances in the first year of employment only demonstrates the need for protection for workers in this situation since the first year in a new job is often a vulnerable time.

"We welcome constructive discussion and debate about New Zealand's employment law, unfortunately the EMA has chosen to use selective figures to pursue its own political agenda."

The Department of Labour's study can be found at http://dol.govt.nz/publication-view.asp?ID=239.