Source: Radio New Zealand
PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A union has hit back at claims by New Zealand First it could have changed the law removing the right for contractors to challenge their employment status.
“How dare Winston Peters claim unions were too slow when they contacted his party last year when there was plenty of time for him to make a difference,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association.
The Employment Relations Amendment Bill passed its third reading earlier this week.
Leader Winston Peters said on Thursday he asked the unions why they didn’t come to his party earlier, and why they spent their time with parties who “couldn’t stop it.”
“We can’t stop it now, because you’ve got to stop it months ago,” said Peters.
In response, the PSA said Peters was wrong to blame unions for being too slow to convince New Zealand First to block what it called the “Fire at Will Bill” when his party knew about their concerns in August 2025.
Fitzsimons said Peters had “all the time in the world” between the PSA’s first meeting with New Zealand First and the passing of the Bill this week.
“It’s as simple as this – the party lacked the guts to stand up to the ACT party despite expressing concerns in speeches about the Bill.”
She said New Zealand First committed in the Second Reading to make changes to the personal grievance provisions, “we held out hope, but nothing happened.”
The PSA outlined their interactions with New Zealand First, meeting with the party’s staff on the 5 August. Fitzsimons said it was a “useful meeting” and she was put in touch with their Employment Relations spokesperson, Mark Patterson.
There were two further meetings with Patterson before the Second Reading.
“He really seemed to give us a fair hearing and asked for possible amendments to take the harsh edges off the proposed legislation.”
Fitzsimons said the PSA then made a “last minute, constructive plea to the party last week delivering a handwritten card to Mr Peters.”
She said “Mr Peters had every chance to walk the talk but turned a blind eye,” and that Peters and New Zealand First had “ignored workers.”
“Workers will never forget this latest betrayal – the PSA will be reminding voters come the election what NZ First really stands for – putting the coalition government’s business mates first, not New Zealand workers.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
