Parliament must listen to the thousands of people who have signed a Council of Trade Unions (CTU) petition calling for Easter Sunday to remain one of the few days people are guaranteed leave to spend time with their families, the Green Party said today.
Green Party workplace relations spokesperson Denise Roche will table a CTU petition calling for the National Government’s support partners to protect the time New Zealanders get off work, when the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill is debated in Parliament today.
“Te Ururoa Flavell and Peter Dunne have an opportunity to make a real difference for families, by voting to guarantee mums and dads an Easter Sunday holiday,” Green Party workplace relations spokesperson Denise Roche said.
“We’re asking all MPs to choose what’s right for families and communities, because the economy works best when it’s working for everyone.
“The Bill will be subject to a personal vote, so every MP has a choice about whether to protect families’ time together or not.
“People who work in retail are only guaranteed three and a half specific days off a year, and Peter Dunne and Te Ururoa Flavell should make sure that doesn’t get reduced to two and a half days.
“National’s attempt to let local councils decide who will work on Easter Sunday passes the buck and undermines working people.
“The reality is that even with the so-called safeguards under this proposed new law, some people just won’t be in a position to say no if their boss asks them to work over Easter,” Ms Roche said.
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