By Duncan Garner
Prime Minister John Key has confirmed National will introduce tough new workplace laws, and unions are seeing that as a declaration of war.
All New Zealand firms, not just small ones, will soon be able to fire an employee after a 90 day trial if they are not up to the job.
But hundreds of angry unionists marched outside the National Party conference.
Hordes of unionists tried desperately to bust through the police line to get to the Prime Minister; former Green MP Sue Bradford was in the thick of it.
Their message: Key's workplace changes are a declaration of war.
But John Key was inside getting a hero's welcome; the delegates are his grassroots party workers and they adore him.
He told his delegates, many of whom are employers, all Kiwi businesses large and small will now be able to sack an employee after a 90-day trial period if they don't stack up.
“This is policy of opportunity. It is about giving people the chance to find a job and nothing is more important that that," he says.
A Labour Department survey released yesterday shows businesses overwhelmingly like the 90 day trial period and two in five employers wouldn't have hired someone without it.
Unions had promised to name and shame small employers who had abused the law over the past year – Mr Key says they have failed to deliver.
Mr Key also says it might give immigrants a chance for a better job – like the Indian pizza delivery guy who came to his house last night with his children's dinner.
“Guys like him told me they just want a better opportunity and this will hopefully do it," he says.
There are other changes: unions will find it more difficult to enter the workplace, but they won't be banned and workers will also be able to cash in their fourth week's annual leave for cash, when the laws come into effect, probably next year.
Mr Key says cashing in the extra week will be at the employees’ request – and employers can't force it – that will be against the new law.
“It just won't happen – it can't happen, it's up to the employee is they want the extra money,” Mr Key says.
The noise and the protests might continue for National and John Key; tomorrow the cabinet is set to sign on National's controversial mining plans to mine more of the conservation estate.
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