Key on scrapping four weeks annual leave

Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, September 18th, 2008 - 24 comments
Categories: john key, same old national, workers' rights - Tags:

Thanks to the wonders of Scoopit I’ve just come across this old TVNZ footage of John Key’s first day as National’s finance spokesman. It’s interesting to see where his economic priorities lay:

The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?

[It’s worth noting that this isn’t some aberration limited to John Key or a pragmatic issue-by-issue decision. National’s anti-worker employment policy, their record of opposing every extension to workers’ rights and their history of letting the minimum wage be eaten by inflation show a clear and consistent body of belief opposed to workers’ rights and in favour of privileging the interests of business and the wealthy. Does anyone really believe they’ve had a social democratic conversion?]

24 comments on “Key on scrapping four weeks annual leave ”

  1. Pascal's bookie 1

    “Does anyone really believe they’ve had a social democratic conversion?”

    Not me.

    Not untill they explain:

    why they’ve changed their minds,

    in what way they were wrong,

    what they now believe

    and why.

    “because we lost an election” doesn’t cut it.

  2. Scribe 2

    I can’t watch the video, but on his first day as finance spokesman, New Zealand didn’t have four weeks’ annual leave. How could he scrap something that didn’t exist yet?

  3. Dom 3

    Scrapping plans for four weeks leave…

    Hey, I’ll need that extra week under National so I can take time off work protest them sending troops wherever the US decide to go to war…not to mention them selling state assets. Gotta improve my placard writing skills…

  4. IrishBill 4

    Scribe, the fourth week was signaled several years ahead of its implementation in order to give employers some lead-in time

  5. scribe. the legislation was in place, Key was for reversing it.. Brash wanted to go back to 2 weeks.. both opposed every move to improve workers’ rights an wages

    .. oh ‘Key is always saying we need to increase wages’, eh? well, talk is cheap, the record speaks for itself

  6. randal 6

    national is supposedly the party of business yet all they can do is bash workers…where is the new business?

  7. Smokie 7

    Four weeks annual leave passed into law in 2003. For the 2005 election John Key promised to scrap it because it was ‘too costly’. To whom I wonder? And how does he measure cost?

    The fact is, John Key’s policy hasn’t changed. He now wants employees to be able to ‘cash in’ their fourth week. And if an employee refuses to cash it in? – Well that 90 day ‘fire at will’ bill will see the end of their employment.

  8. Greg 8

    You must understand that while you may not agree with National’s view point on these policies, they have them because they believe they will benefit workers in the long run. And 90% of economists come to the same conclusion. Just because you believe Nationals policies will not benefit workers does not mean John Key is ‘worker bashing’ – far from it.

  9. Tane 9

    Greg, you can believe what you like. The facts say otherwise – the record shows that removing workers’ rights reduces pay and conditions.

    That these demonstrably false beliefs continue to thrive suggests there’s some basic economic self-interest at stake here. Which might explain why the wealthy and the powerful tend to support these ideas financially, whether through front groups like the CIS and the BRT, or through right-wing political parties like National and ACT.

  10. insider 10

    There was an even better video of JK on the news the other night when Cullen came a cropper trying to blame him for the world financial meltdown because he once worked for a business not run by the government.

    It was of Key as a young forex trader. My goodness, the hair, the glasses. What a change time has made.

  11. yl 11

    Greg,

    can you please explain how scrapping four weeks annual leave will help workers in the long run?

    Please go slow, i cant see any links between those two ideas.

    How will it help there families?

  12. yl 12

    Greg,

    “And 90% of economists come to the same conclusion”

    can i please see the source on this. You have used a percentage so you must the source.

  13. Scribe 13

    From the Department of Labour website:

    From 1 April 2007, all employees are entitled to at least four weeks paid annual holidays a year.

    [Tane: Yes, as stated, there was a long lead-in time for the legislation to take effect.]

  14. appleboy 14

    this where greg disappears or admits he made up that 90% statistic.

  15. Draco T Bastard 15

    Tane:

    That these demonstrably false beliefs continue to thrive suggests there’s some basic economic self-interest at stake here.

    http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_28235.shtml

    How did the “science’ part of economics begin? According to Nadeau

    “The strategy the economists used was as simple as it was absurd they substituted economic variables for physical ones .A number of well-known mathematicians and physicists told the economists that there was absolutely no basis for making these substitutions. But the economists ignored such criticisms and proceeded to claim that they had transformed their field of study into a rigorously mathematical scientific discipline.”

    Or maybe it’s because the economists are still using economic formula that just don’t work in the field of economics.

  16. Andrew 16

    “workers rights” what are they? Can the “standard” publish a definitive list?

    Andrew

    [lprent: The “Standard” is a program running on a machine. It is dumb and doesn’t hear your requests. You could address it to a person. But You should also read this section in the About. It will answer your query quite adequetely. ]

  17. yl 17

    Andrew,

    what do you mean?

    Do you mean a list of current ‘workers rights’?

    Do you mean national proposed list of ‘workers rights’?

    Do you mean from a theoretical view of ‘workers rights’?

    What do you mean?

    captcha: one hollywood

  18. Greg 18

    90% was a figure of speech. What I meant was ‘almost all’. If you look check out http://antidismal.blogspot.com/2008/08/economics-does-not-lie.html you’ll see 10 propositions that almost all top economists believe. The source stems from Columbia University, credible enough? In this case I refer to the proposition “Unemployment among unskilled workers is largely determined by how much labor costs.”.

    To take an example, increasing annual leave is increasing the cost of labour. Employers must employ someone else to work that extra week right? When the costs of labour increase, employers cannot afford to hire as much labour therefore unemployment increases. So some employees are marginally better off with an increase in annual leave but some employees are much worse off as they now have no job. You would assume the unions would want to avoid higher unemployment, but as they only represent those in employment it is of little consequence to them. This is why you see unions such as the EPMU pursuing such policies.

  19. Tim 19

    “Unemployment among unskilled workers is largely determined by how much labour costs” – empirical evidence doesn’t back that assertion at all. Wages have increased and unemployment has dropped over the past 8 years.

    Employers want high unemployment so there is more competition for jobs, and hence they can pay less. This is the rationale behind ‘work for the dole’ schemes as well.

    It’s a pity these economists ignore the social outcomes of low wages and high unemployment.

    I agree with Greg to some extent in that the proper role of a union should be to represent both the employed and unemployed, but I don’t agree that unions and their members should be required to moderate wage demands for fear of unemployment. I also think that unions are very interested in keeping unemployment down, given the widespread social disruption caused to their members during periods of high unemployment.

  20. CarlF 20

    Greg –
    The “top economists” cited are all apologists for unfettered capitalism of the type presently in freefall in the US and elsewhere. Excluded are critics like Stieglitz.
    To claim that “Unemployment among unskilled workers is largely determined by how much labor costs’ suggests that wage rates need not be related to the cost of living and that factors like CEO salaries, profit margins and benefits to shareholders are of no consequence. It also suits employers as it blames the victim and frees business-oriented governments of responsibility.

  21. the sprout 21

    the sooner our middle class wake up to the fact that Key’s policies offer them more bad than good, the better.

  22. robert 22

    there is a logical connection between increasing the cost of employment to decreasing workforce but it doesn’t have to be that way. profits could reduce. if we follwo the argument to its extreme then there should be no minimum protection for workers as every cent spent on a worker is coming from another worker. we would end up with everybody employed (probably over employed) for sweet f.a.

  23. Greg 23

    Tim – “empirical evidence doesn’t back that assertion at all. Wages have increased and unemployment has dropped over the past 8 years.”

    That is correct, but this is because the ‘cost’ of employment has decreased. Greater productivity means wages can increase as employers can afford to do so. It also means that they can afford to pay more. The ‘cost’ to employers has actually decreased over the past 8 years.

    CarlF – “The “top economists’ cited are all apologists for unfettered capitalism of the type presently in freefall in the US and elsewhere. Excluded are critics like Stieglitz.
    To claim that “Unemployment among unskilled workers is largely determined by how much labor costs’ suggests that wage rates need not be related to the cost of living and that factors like CEO salaries, profit margins and benefits to shareholders are of no consequence. It also suits employers as it blames the victim and frees business-oriented governments of responsibility.”

    As always there is another side to the story. The point this study was making was that NEARLY all top economists believe in these principles. (Hey there’s scientists that don’t believe in climate change right?)

    As for your other statements, the problem with these is that they do not take into account opportunity cost. If you decrease the profits of a company, the salaries of CEO’s etc, the opportunity cost will be to great and people will not invest, and you will struggle to find good CEO’s etc. In a competitive market these ‘profits’ will always be at the absolute minimum they can be. Otherwise another firm would increase wages and take the cream of the employees. Taking away from ‘profits’ etc to give to employees cannot occur otherwise the business would fail.

    Robert – Suprinsingly Robert, I think thats exactly what should happen. But good workers would not be employed for sweet f all.

  24. sean 24

    Do you guys ever think things through?

    “History of letting the minimum wage be eaten by inflation” – if you actually bothered to think this through you would realise that increasing the minimum wage causes inflation. You will never be able to raise it to a level where it is enough to beat inflation.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T18:04:25+00:00