Bill ‘erodes’ provisions

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 3

Bill ‘erodes’ provisions

The State Sector Bill erodes or I removes an array: of industrial provisions promoting equal employment opportunities in the Public Service, according to. ithe Human Rights Commission. i "The bill, as drafted, removes a large number of guaranteed conditions of employment allowing only for j (heir discretionary (and, hence possibly uneven) application,” said the comrpission in al report to the Prime Minister, Mr Lange.

A commissioner, ■ Ms Rae Julian, said the commission had decided (that the bill jwas sufficiently important; for a report to be ‘made to the Prime Minister i as well as a submission to the select committee. The report said that it would be retrograde to introduce! any measures which meant basic conditions had to be renegotiated department by- department! The commission recommended I that all existing

conditions of employment in the State sector!which affected equal employment opportunities ;be retained, and be!binding on each department, i “Any future; negotiated provisions would be complementary to these present conditions.” ’! The report said that the commission , considered that, just as departments should I be publicly accountable for their financial affairs, they (Should be accountable fori their performances as a; j good employer.”

The bill should be amended to include an obligation by the chief executive to report annually on the equal employment opportunity I programmes in each .department, it said. j It was also the commission’s view that the bill's appointment criteria were insufficiently- defined to ensure that the neieds and expectations of [women, Maori people, ethnic minorities and those with physical disabilities would be met.