Tauranga union workers are pledging to renew their efforts to fight against poverty and inequality in New Zealand following a meeting in Greerton yesterday.

FIRST union workers and representatives with the signed banner to be delivered to Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

About 150 workers from ANZ and Westpac banks, Farmers, Countdown, K-Mart and The Warehouse crammed into the Greerton RSA clubrooms to discuss their union's plan for decent work centering around four themes - jobs for all, a living wage, secure work and safe work.

'We had to double the amount of chairs to get everyone in. It was an excellent turnout, which I think shows the level of concern that was in this area,” says FIRST Union retail secretary Maxine Gay, who chaired the meeting.

Proposed changes to the employment sector were discussed in depth with workers deeply concerned with the proposals from Minister of Labour and Tauranga MP, Simon Bridges.

The Minster's Employment Relations Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament after passing its first reading in June, proposes measures to improve workplace arrangements in order to lift productivity and create jobs.

The proposed changes will also allow an extension of flexible work arrangements, partial pay reductions in cases of strike action and allow employers to opt out of multi-employer bargaining.

Speaking at the time in June, Simon said the Government wants to ensure employers have the freedom to compete and expand, while protecting employees.

'Quite a few of the workers are covered by currently unsettled retail collective agreements that are still being negotiated, with low wage offers on the table,” says Maxine.

'These workers thought that the law change allowing employers to walk away from bargaining, instead of being obliged to conclude negotiations in good faith as they are now, would be devastating.”

Another hot issue discussed is the proposed changes to tea breaks, which remove the legal entitlement to breaks, replacing them with a general obligation for employers to provide a reasonable opportunity for rest, refreshment, and attending to personal matters.

Currently the law entitles all employees to one paid 10 minute rest break if their work period is between two and four hours, and one unpaid 30-minute meal break and 10 minute rest break if their work period is from four to six hours. Workers are entitled to two paid 10-minute rest breaks and one unpaid 30-minute meal break if their work period is from six to eight hours.

'Many of the people at today's meeting work in high pressure retail stores, and already struggle to get their breaks on time, or even at all.

'One worker commented today that if the law was passed, we would be back to the ridiculous situation where they start work at 9am and are told to take a tea break at 9.30am, and then that's it for the rest of the day.”

Workers at the meeting signed a large pledge sheet reading: This meeting of FIRST Union members pledges to campaign for decent work and against poverty and inequality: A Living Wage, Jobs for All; Secure, safe work; 26 weeks paid parental leave; Fair employment laws. We call on our local representatives to do the same.

A delegation will make contact with Simon in the next few weeks to deliver the signed banner.