E tū is calling out the Government’s muddled messaging on sick leave entitlements, following contradictory public comments from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden.
Luxon claimed in a media interview that the Government was looking to reduce sick leave from 10 days back to 5 – only for Minister van Velden to later confirm there is no such plan. The mix-up has left workers and unions questioning whether the Government has any coherent grasp of its own policies, let alone a plan to support workplace health and safety.
E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh says the comments reveal an alarming lack of awareness at the top.
“If the Prime Minister doesn’t even know what his Government’s policy direction is on sick leave, how can workers have any confidence that their interests are being protected?” Rachel says.
“It’s deeply worrying. This Government has already shown it’s willing to attack workers’ rights – and now it seems they don’t even understand the protections we still have.”
Rachel says even raising the idea of cutting sick leave sends the wrong message.
“We fought hard to increase sick leave because it’s a basic public health and workplace safety issue. The idea that we would go backwards, especially after what we’ve learned through Covid, is outrageous.
“We do know that the Minister is planning to cut sick leave entitlements for part-time workers. Those workers are predominantly women and other disadvantaged groups, and often people who need sick leave to look after children. The real proposal on sick leave is an attack on women, disadvantaged workers, and on children.
“Sick leave is not a luxury. It’s a necessity for keeping workplaces safe and fair. Any suggestion otherwise, whether careless or deliberate, is unacceptable.”
E tū Industry Council Convenor for Engineering, Infrastructure, and Extractives, Mark Anderson, says the situation reflects a broader problem with the Government’s attitude.
“This shows what we’re dealing with – a Government that doesn’t understand or care about the reality for working people,” Mark says.
“They’re already trying to gut health and safety protections. Now the Prime Minister casually talks about cutting sick leave, when people in industries like mine rely on it to avoid injury, burnout, or worse.
“We’re the ones doing hard yards. We know how important these protections are. When they’re undermined or misrepresented, it’s working people who pay the price.”
E tū is urging the Government to stop undermining the protections that keep us healthy and safe.
“Working people need certainty and respect,” Rachel says. “If this Government can’t even keep its story straight on sick leave, how can we trust them to make decisions that protect us?”