October 6, 2006

The Mari­time Uni­on says the free trade deal with China is the biggest threat to work­ers in New Zea­l­and since the intro­duc­tion of the Employ­ment Con­tracts Act in 1991.

Mari­time Uni­on Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Tre­vor Han­son says the import­a­tion of short-term, cas­u­al­ized skilled labour being paid the min­im­um wage will be a dis­aster.

“This is obvi­ously going to have a major and neg­at­ive effect on wages and con­di­tions in New Zea­l­and.”