Wed, 28 Oct 2015New Zealand’s Green Party has backed a call by FIRST Union for a government audit of labour hire firms’ employment practices.

It says a law change is necessary to ensure casual workers, some of the country’s most vulnerable workers, are not exploited.

Green Party workplace relations spokesperson Denise Roche said in a statement she had reports of labour hire firms neglecting to pay sick leave and public holiday rates, typically paid at time and a half. 

The Greens have proposed a law change to ensure labour hire businesses provide wages and conditions at a level no less than the employer contracting the work provides to its own employees.

“This would include the coverage of a collective agreement if the contracting employer is a party to one, and the protection of membership of a union that is party to the collective agreement,” Roche said.

FIRST Union transport and logistics secretary Karl Andersen told Radio New Zealand some labour hire firms were clearly breaching employment law but their workers were too afraid to say anything. 

“They're too frightened to complain themselves because our experience shows that if they complain, or join the union, they simply don't get work the next day.”

FIRST Union covers the finance, retail, transport & logistics, textiles and wood industries.