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Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced two new appointments to the WorkSafe New Zealand Board.

Stephen Reindler and Nikki Davies-Colley will join the board from 16 December for three year terms.

 “These appointments bring to the Board strong governance skills and experience in sectors which WorkSafe is particularly focused on,” Mr Woodhouse says.

The Government will update the Equal Pay Act and amend the Employment Relations Act to implement recommendations of the Joint Working Group on Pay Equity.

This will make it easier for women to file pay equity claims with their employers, rather than having to go through the courts. It will also assist employers in addressing those claims.

“The Government has accepted the recommendations of the Joint Working Group, which set out principles for raising and resolving pay equity claims through bargaining,” State Services Minister Paula Bennett says.

The strong and growing New Zealand job market provides great opportunities to get more Kiwis into life-long careers, say Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse.

The Ministers announced the release today of the 2016 update of the ‘Building Skilled and Safe Workplaces’ chapter of the Business Growth Agenda, which contains 55 current and 12 new initiatives to build sustainable careers and grow productivity in New Zealand.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced the appointment of Len Cook as a new member of the Remuneration Authority (the Authority).

The Authority is responsible for setting the rates of pay and allowances for Members of Parliament, the Judiciary and local authority members.

Len Cook replaces Angela Foulkes who has performed her duties admirably as a member of the Authority for eleven years.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse has this morning expressed his condolences to the family and friends of Helen Kelly who lost her battle with cancer overnight.

“Helen was a passionate advocate for the rights of New Zealand workers,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“She championed the cause of making our workplaces healthier and safer, particularly in the wake of the Pike River Mine disaster.

A Bill that enables territorial authorities to decide whether shops in their district can trade on Easter Sunday has passed its third reading in Parliament this afternoon.

“The Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill is a pragmatic and well-balanced Bill which provides choice for local communities on whether or not to allow shop trading on Easter Sunday while also improving protections to all shop employees,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Finance Minister Bill English has today vetoed proposed changes to paid parental leave.

Mr English has exercised his powers of Financial Veto ahead of the third reading of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave and Work Contact Hours) Amendment Bill.

“Treasury estimates the cost of this legislation amounts to $278 million over the next four years, a significant extra - unbudgeted - cost.

The Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles has reported back to the Government with a number of recommendations, State Services Minister Paula Bennett and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse say.

The Joint Working Group was tasked with recommending principles for dealing with pay equity claims under the Equal Pay Act.

“I would like to thank the Joint Working Group members for their commitment to improving our pay equity laws,” Mrs Bennett says. 

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced two new appointments to the WorkSafe New Zealand Board.

“These appointments bring a range of new skills and experience to the Board which will be beneficial WorkSafe as they implement the reforms introduced by the new Health and Safety at Work Act,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Nicole Rosie and Jan White will join the board from 30 May for two-year terms.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse welcomes an independent review of WorkSafe New Zealand that found the agency is performing well.

“Overall the Review found that WorkSafe is performing well and is on track to becoming a high performing state sector organisation,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“Stakeholders recognised WorkSafe’s aim to be a fair, consistent and proportionate regulator and were positive about WorkSafe’s engagement.

The journey towards better health and safety practices in the workplace starts tomorrow with the new Health and Safety at Work Act coming into force, says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse.

“This is the first major reform of workplace health and safety in more than 20 years and strikes the balance between ensuring workplaces are safe without imposing unnecessary red tape on business,” says Mr Woodhouse.

Today’s launch of the Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC) Charter is an important milestone for improved health and safety outcomes and operational excellence in the forestry industry, says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse.

The Charter publicly commits the industry to a mission of ‘Together Towards Zero’ as the driver for achieving safe outcomes for all forestry industry workers.

A Bill which will eliminate zero-hour contracts, extend paid parental leave (PPL) and help stamp out worker exploitation passed its third reading today, announced Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse.

“The passing of this Bill delivers on the Government’s commitment to improve New Zealand’s employment law framework to encourage fair and productive workplaces without imposing unnecessary compliance costs on employers in general,” Mr Woodhouse says. 

New Zealand has ratified the International Labour Organisation’s Maritime Labour Convention to ensure fair treatment of seafarers and protect the reputation of New Zealand exports, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse and Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss announced today.

The Maritime Labour Convention is an international treaty adopted by the International Labour Organisation.  It sets minimum standards to address the health, safety and welfare of seafarers on commercial vessels.

The minimum wage will increase by 50 cents to $15.25 an hour on 1 April 2016, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse announced today.

The starting-out and training hourly minimum wages rates will increase from $11.80 to $12.20 per hour, remaining at 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.

“The Government has once again taken care to ensure the right balance has been struck between protecting our lowest paid workers, and ensuring jobs are not lost,” says Mr Woodhouse.