The first-reading vote on my ‘Mondayising’ Members Bill is set down for tomorrow.
I’m chuffed with the level of public support for the Bill. I guess everyone knows Kiwi workers put in some long hours and look forward to 11 public holidays with the family every year.
A reflection of the widespread backing for my bill is evident in today’s Stuff poll which had public support running all afternoon at 81%.
The Bill is popular because it recognises the growing importance of Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day to our history and sense of identity as New Zealanders. The time is right to give these days the full recognition that other public holidays have.
Let’s also be clear that the Bill is popular because it makes sure people get the holidays they deserve.
Folk were rightly miffed when they missed out on two public holidays last year only because the days of commemoration fell on a weekend.
A couple of people have put to me the proposition that having a holiday on the Monday that follows somehow diminishes the importance of the day itself. What nonsense. It doesn’t seem to have reduced the significance of ANZAC day in the Australian territories that have Mondayised it. On the contrary, reports suggest increased turnout for 25 April ANZAC commemorations.
The example of Christmas illustrates the point. When Christmas last fell on a weekend, did you hear anyone complaining that Christmas Day was somehow less significant because we received an extra holiday the day after Boxing Day? I thought not.
I’ve had the pledges of support necessary for the Bill to progress. My thanks to Labour Colleagues, the Greens, NZ First, The Maori Party, United Future and Mana for their assistance in progressing this legislation.
John Key looks like a man alone opposing the full recognition of these days.
The cost of Mondayising is negligible. John Key is the Minister of Tourism and now even the industry he’s supposed to be representing have come out against him.
Waitangi and ANZAC Day warrant a day off every year, not just 5 out of 7. We only miss out on our full allocation of public holidays twice every seven years - when these days fall on a weekend.
Key needs to explain to ordinary working New Zealanders why they don’t deserve these two days off with friends and family.
How can a neoliberal government fully committed to the $ possibly want workers to have days off?
I see that this Bill continues to be biased for Monday to Friday workers. I’ve asked in the past why the bill does not include legislation granting the 11 holidays to ALL workers instead of the current working if you really care about people getting holidays. Currently the shift work people in this country, most Skilled and Manual labourers as well as Hospitality people only have these holidays accessible if they occur on their regular rostered day. If it occurs on a weekday on their normally rostered day off then nothing happens. No extra day off, no Day in Leiu, no holiday payment as it was considered to have been observed by everyone else. Fix this loophole and you’ll have my support, otherwise I view this as mere public grandstanding for the weekday crowd.
So we are in a challenging economic environment, with many businesses struggling to keep ahead, and you want to make harder for them. And why, because we “deserve” it.
NZ doesn’t have an entitlement culture. Nah, of course not.
@Madison, my bill is modest in its intent. I have the the pledges of support necessary for it to progress. I expect this progress will give the opportunity for concerns like yours to be heard by politicians across Parliament in Select Committee – including by the Government MPs who are best place to make appropriate change to address the legitimate concerns you raise.
@one track, the Government’s own officials admit Key’s 13c/worker/day cost figure is ‘likely to be overstated’. The legislation may even have a net benefit for the economy. Certainly, it will benefit some more than others; the tourism industry is pushing hard for this change.
@David. Could you push for this then? It seems to get ignored that during the current legislation most workers in my situation are already missing out on at least 2 days a year on average and only when this affects the middle class it becomes an issue? Are you going to push to include my concerns or wait for someone else to do it?
@Madison. Sure thing. My point is that select committee is the chance for the public to have their say about the Bill. MP’s job is to listen and debate the issues from there. If you and others I expect to hear from present strong submissions to the select committee, it will make our job of convincing the Government there’s an issue much easier.
Nothing wrong with this Bill at all. In John Banks’ case I wish he would only turn up to work on a Monday and leave the thinking for other people for the rest of the week.
Full of contradictions, is John Key. Mean and miserable when it comes to ordinary folks getting a couple days off every 7 years, but Father Christmas when it comes to billions in tax cuts for his mates. Funny that. He’s Santa when it comes to giving away millions of free shares, but Scrooge when it comes to poor folks trying to get ahead at night school. Strange fellow, John Key.
@Madison I want to acknowledge your concerns. Many have raised the same thing with me as Labours Employment Relations spokesperson so its on the list of things to consider for when Labour is next in government. The chances of getting any change to this while this lot are in power are zero. However, please do continue to speak out, make a submission and keep reminding Labour this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
61 votes against 60? Relying on Peter Dunne and the people of Ohariu? That’s not a mandate
Very clever Graeme. But who is calling it a mandate?
I seem to remember a recent bill which had a ‘majority’ support failed at the last hurdle because of a ‘mix up’ in the Maori Party. Could it be time for another mixup ?
“61 votes against 60? Relying on Peter Dunne and the people of Ohariu? That’s not a mandate”
I bet you don’t enjoy the coming rainbow unity government as much as I do
Thanks Darien and David, if you push to include coverage for shift workers into this bill I’ll remember. As will many others who will be sending submissions. If it then means Dunne or someone else tanks the bill of National uses it’s third reading veto we’ll know who stood up for it. If we find out people have backed down and leave the bill watered down so that things stay leaving shift workers shafted we’ll remember that too.
A new holiday to break the long slog between Queen’s Birthday and Labour Weekend would be of more benefit.
@Madison as long as you understand that the Government holds almost all of the votes for passing legislation. They could change the law at any time to look after shift workers better, but they choose not to. We’ll do what we can, but I expect we’ll be held pretty closely to the proposal we’ve put forward. In opposition, we have to take the wins where we can get them. That said, the Government majority is looking shakier than ever.
David I work tuesday to saturday when will I be likely to get 11 public holidays and why has this not been addressed as this is a even larger loophole then “mondayising” current holidays. I missout on 6 days how is this at all fair and why was this not added to your bill.
@Dustin, please see my responses to @madison above. Same issue.
So I have one last question, if this means you have to take the wins where you can get them will you drop the fix to get 11 public holidays for all workers if it means losing the bill? Because that would seem to be a far greater injustice than simply leaving the current setup as it would create an even greater imbalance in the holiday situation than already exists.
@Madison : simple answer. Change the government. This issue will not be addressed while National is in government. While Peter Dunne supported David’s bill, it is only on the basis of the provisions in the bill relating to Waitangi and Anzac Day. I have serious doubts he would support anything beyond that, although you could ask him. This is not a problem with Labour; it’s a problem with National, Act and the fact that Labour can only make change through members’ bills, which are put in a lottery with other bills from all parties and occasionally, just occasionally, drawn, as in the case of David’s bill. There are many other Labour bills in the ballot that would advance workers’ rights that will probably never see the light of day because of the ballot system. I have had two that were drawn, debated, and voted down by National, Act and NZ First (in one case). We are not the government. I wish we were.
Love the way you stood up and proclaimed that with this bill ALL workers will be getting the 11 Public Holidays they are entitled to each year – WAKE UP & smell the roses. New Zealand is no longer a Monday to Friday economy. THANK YOU for wanting myself and people like me who work at the weekend and NEVER on a Monday to be reduced to ONE guaranteed public holiday per year – Good Friday. You state that people who miss out on 4 days public holiday every seven years have far more rights then those of us who will now only have the prospect of being religated to second class citizens by this bill. IF this becomes law I can look forward to 2 years when I will get only one public holiday, 2 years when I will get two public holidays and 3 years when I will get five public holidays. So while the Monday to Friday works will be GUARANTEED 77 public holidays over a period of 7 years – I and people like me will be Guaranteed ONLY 23 public holidays. NICE ONE – I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what this means about how my vote will go in the next election. Certainly not to people who stand up & shout – they work at the weekend so they don’t count.
It is with great dismay I note this Bill is progressing. Waitangi Day and ANZAC day are important for what stand for and that is NOT because they are a holiday. If you really want people to have holidays please find another method. As others have noted you could try giving holidays to those who have been missing out for years. Anyone who does not work Mondays already misses out on a minimum of 4 days per year – you want to add to that! – take away their only chance of having another day or 2.
Be braver – stand up for our National Days – and if you really want more people to have a break offer everyone their 11 days per year
@Trish @Kate
Employment contracts allow for an alternative day-of to be negotiated for those who don’t work Mon-Fri and therefore miss out on public holidays. Most union members have such arrangements in their contracts, as do some people who negotiate their own. Have a talk to your employer and consider getting union help if you feel you’re missing out.