New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations Online - In the Latest NZJIR

Volume 25 Number 1

February 2000

"Mutually Beneficial Agreements" in the retail sector? The Employments Contracts Act and low-paid workers
(Winning Essay - 1998 Industrial Relations Student Research Paper Competition)
Colm McLaughlin

This article reports on the impact of the Employment Contracts Act on retail workers. The results of the study portray a compelling but disturbing account of employment conditions for retail workers in the late 1990s. Questions are also raised about the lack of research in the secondary labour market. The lack of available information about those workers who are most likely to have been adversely affected by the legislation is indicative of the value such workers are accorded in our current society.

The effects of the Employment Contracts Act on representation and collective bargaining in the thoroughbred racing industry in New Zealand
Raymond Harbridge and Aaron Crawford

Messers Harbridge and Crawford draw comparissons between the New Zealand racing industry and employment generally. Contractors (trainers and jockeys), apprentices (jockeys) permanent and casual employees work to prepare horses for racing and to organise race meetings and the associated betting. Individual and collective representation and bargaining arrangements both pre and post the ECA are compared across 14 different groups within the industry. The authors demonstrate that the effects of the Act on representation and bargaining that have emerged follow the general patterns established accross the New Zealand economy.

RESEARCH NOTES:

Working for the union: the perception of New Zealand trade union officers
John M. Howells

It is generally accepted that the New zealand public regards the job of a full-time trade union officer to be an inferior. It naturally follows from this that there is an underlying stigma attached to being a union officer. Since much of the evidence in this area is anecdotal, this paper considers an actual measure of the difference betweenthe union officer's and the public's perception of the state of union work. It also reports the specific views of union officers on the social and the employment outcomes of the stigma that goes with working for the union. The results show that in judging the status and prestige of this type of work the two parties seems to be missing each other in psychological space.

A survey of employee experiences and attitudes in the New Zealand workplace
Erling Rasmussen, Colm McLaughlin and Peter Boxall

This article presents the results of an employee survey conducted during November 1998. The study set out to investigate bargaining trends, contract outcomes and employee opinions on a range of workplace issues. It provides a basis for comparrison with similar studies, and highlights various employment issues for further research. given the small number of random surveys since the introduction of the ECA, the results of this study make an important contrbution to our overall understanding of worker experiences under the new legisation.

LEGAL FORUM:

The legal position regarding disciplinary proceedings when criminal proceedings are pending
Fiona McMorran

This paper was prompted by the question of whether an employer is prohibited from conducting an investigation and then dismissing an employee, where there is the potential for criminal proceedings, or criminal proceedings are pending in relation to the same issue?Even though it is well established law that an employer must carry out their investigation and reach their conclusions separate from any police or other investigation.

COMMENTARY:

The decade of non-compliance; the New Zealand Government record of non-compliance with international labour standards 1990-98
Ross Wilson

This paper will consider the relevance of International labour Organisation (ILO) labour standards to New Zealand. It will also examine the CTU's complaint to the ILO in 1993 on the Employment Contracts Act, and other issues relating to New Zealand's non-compliance with ILO Conventions during this decade.

CHRONICLE:

August 1999 - December 1999
Erling Rasmussen and Joe Beer

A round-up of recent New Zealand industrial relations events in the latter part of 1999. Perhaps some of the most memorable being the WINZ scandal, the Ansett pilot lockout, and "golden handshakes".