Well done NZ First

The Herald reports:

Changes have been made to the controversial Workplace Relations Bill which gives small business a “fair go”, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says. …

One change is around the multi-employer collective agreement (Meca) provisions. Employers have a responsibility to enter into bargaining but are not compelled to settle an agreement, based on reasonable grounds.

The other major change is that while unions have the right to enter work sites where union members are covered by, or bargaining for, a collective agreement, they need consent from employers in all other circumstances.

Peters said New Zealand First’s changes gave small and regional businesses a fair go.
“We have looked out for small and medium sized business to ensure that the law reflects their reality.

“We heard that changes needed to be made to ensure small businesses weren’t unfairly treated under the legislation. This is consistent with the bill’s exemption for small business from the 90-day trial rules,” Peters said.

These are significant changes that the union paymasters of Labour badly badly wanted. On this issue, NZ First has done well in tempering down this bill from a very bad bill to only a moderately bad one.