[New Zealand] Govt urged to respect Supreme Court ruling and abandon pro-Uber bill

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi, has called for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to respect the Supreme Court's ruling and abandon Brooke van Velden’s Employment Relations Bill, NZCTU reports.

The Bill would enshrine in law the ability of employers such as Uber to misclassify platform workers as contractors.

“The Uber drivers winning in the Supreme Court is a tremendous victory for workers and the union movement – the Government needs to respect the ruling and uphold the rights of platform and gig economy workers,” Melissa Ansell-Bridges - NZCTU Secretary - said.

“The ruling proves that these workers are employees, not contractors. It highlights the widespread problem of misclassification in the platform economy, where workers are being deprived of their employment rights and need better protection.

“This win shows what can be achieved when workers stand together and organise – the four drivers who first went to court in 2021, with the support of Workers First and E tū unions, have won against a powerful multinational corporation.

“Uber has consistently lost in the courts, so they have lobbied Brooke van Velden to rewrite the law and enshrine the ability of employers to misclassify platform workers as contractors.

“The Employment Relations Bill currently before parliament would create a system that incentivises companies to exploit the contractor loophole, eroding standard employment conditions across industries and the entire economy.

“Mislabelling employees as independent contractors exposes workers to exploitation, denying them many of their basic protections and entitlements, such as sick and annual leave, minimum wage, protection of hours and protection from unjustifiable dismissal.

Ms Ansell-Bridges reportedly added, “The Prime Minister needs to respect the Court’s ruling and immediately halt the passage of the Employment Relations Bill.” 

Source: NZCTU

(Quotes via original reporting)

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi, has called for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to respect the Supreme Court's ruling and abandon Brooke van Velden’s Employment Relations Bill, NZCTU reports.

The Bill would enshrine in law the ability of employers such as Uber to misclassify platform workers as contractors.

“The Uber drivers winning in the Supreme Court is a tremendous victory for workers and the union movement – the Government needs to respect the ruling and uphold the rights of platform and gig economy workers,” Melissa Ansell-Bridges - NZCTU Secretary - said.

“The ruling proves that these workers are employees, not contractors. It highlights the widespread problem of misclassification in the platform economy, where workers are being deprived of their employment rights and need better protection.

“This win shows what can be achieved when workers stand together and organise – the four drivers who first went to court in 2021, with the support of Workers First and E tū unions, have won against a powerful multinational corporation.

“Uber has consistently lost in the courts, so they have lobbied Brooke van Velden to rewrite the law and enshrine the ability of employers to misclassify platform workers as contractors.

“The Employment Relations Bill currently before parliament would create a system that incentivises companies to exploit the contractor loophole, eroding standard employment conditions across industries and the entire economy.

“Mislabelling employees as independent contractors exposes workers to exploitation, denying them many of their basic protections and entitlements, such as sick and annual leave, minimum wage, protection of hours and protection from unjustifiable dismissal.

Ms Ansell-Bridges reportedly added, “The Prime Minister needs to respect the Court’s ruling and immediately halt the passage of the Employment Relations Bill.” 

Source: NZCTU

(Quotes via original reporting)