Redundancy bill introduced

Press, 6 August 1981, Page 23

Redundancy bill introduced

PA Wellington The Government has allowed an Opposition private member's Employment Protection Bill it had called ‘ a monument to socialism" to be introduced in Parliament. But. the Government stopped the bill, put forward by Mr D. J. Butcher (LabHastings), from being referred to the Labour and Education Select Committee, an indication the bill would not be brough forward before the end of the Parliamentar.v session.

The bill provided for companies to give 90 days notice of intention to close or make workers redundant.

It proposed that a Redundancy and Re-employment Board be established to ensure that employees not sufficiently protected, particularly in case of bankrupey, would receive minimum redundancy payments. These would be three weeks pay for the first year of work for

a company and three w r eeks pay for each further year of service.

Employers would be levied according to staff numbers. The board would also supervise special Labour Department redundancy task forces.

In debate yesterday, the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger) denied that the Planning Council supported the bill as Opposition members had suggested. Mr Butcher said the Planning Council had said redundancy aims could be best achieved by a central organisation of employers and workers establishing “universal ground rules." Quoting the Planning Council, Mr Butcher said, “If, however, no progress is possible along these lines soon, the community's interests might be best served by the development of a comprehensive national redundancy policy initiated by the Government."