The Fair Pay Agreements Bill will be implemented this December – but businesses are calling it 'fundamentally flawed'
Hospitality NZ has warned that developing a single employment agreement within the sector could be "scarily complex," citing the number of jobs that the deal would have to cover. Julie White, chief executive of Hospitality NZ, said there are thousands of jobs in 17,000 businesses operating within the sector, and more roles are still emerging.
She also pointed out how the hospitality industry has changed, with so-called "job stacking" emerging in the sector.
"A big development has been 'job stacking,' where staff choose to undertake a range of very different jobs for the same organisation, taking bookings one day and dish washing the next," she said.
The remarks come ahead of the Fair Pay Agreements Bill, which is set to take effect on Dec. 1. The new law aims to bring “together unions and employer associations within a sector to bargain for minimum employment terms for all covered employees in an industry or occupation."
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood hailed the passing as a "significant step" for an "inclusive economy," adding that it will improve employment conditions as employers and employees can bargain collectively. Unions also rejoiced over its passing, with the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions calling it a "truly momentous occasion."
The bill's passing came despite the opposition from business groups, with Business NZ even calling the FPAs "fundamentally flawed." In the wake of its passing, White said "any agreement needs to fairly represent and reward workers, and not penalise or discourage their choices."
"We must be sure any agreement recognises the full breadth of work conducted by employees and does not force them into a box they don't belong in," she said.
