Unions and Labour slam 90-day plan

Prime Minister John Key is under fire over plans to rush through law changes before Christmas giving employers the right to sack staff in their first 90 days on the job.

Unions criticised the Government's refusal to allow a public debate and called it an attack on workers' fundamental legal rights.

Labour leader Phil Goff said it was an unwelcome Christmas present for vulnerable workers as they faced an uncertain future in the current economic climate.

Mr Key defended the decision to push the law change through under urgency, saying it had been well flagged on the campaign trail.

He said the matter had been thoroughly debated in 2006, when National MP Wayne Mapp's private members bill seeking a law change was defeated. "It was extensively debated [then] and if anything the legislation that we're passing is a watered-down version of that. National strongly campaigned on that legislation and it's no secret that it would be going through Parliament."

But National is likely to face opposition from key ally the Maori Party. After a 35-minute meeting with Mr Key yesterday, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said the legislation did not differ significantly from Mr Mapp's 2006 bill, which her party opposed.

The Maori Party also abstained on a vote to put Parliament into urgency to rush through the 90-day provision and other legislation underpinning the Government's 100-day plan.

The 90-day provision will apply to any workers employed by businesses with fewer than 20 staff. Workers who are sacked by their employer in their first 90 days on the job will be unable to challenge their dismissal or take a personal grievance case.

Mr Goff said many hardworking New Zealanders would suffer under the law. "This 90-day hire-and-fire bill will place even more stress on workers at a time of rising unemployment and increasing uncertainty."

Recent cases had highlighted the plight many might find themselves in. "Women who find out they are pregnant in the first three months of starting work could find themselves out of a job.

"This bill allows for blatant discrimination and removes any protection workers have."

Service and Food Workers Union regional secretary Jill Ovens said workers would not notice the change till they were laid off.

"Even if they are lucky enough to land a new job, they will have to live with uncertainty for the next three months.

"They will have no choice but to accept whatever conditions they are working under because they will be too scared to object."

But Mr Key said the law change would include good-faith provisions.