Waikato Business News March/April 2018

36 WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS March/April 2018
Vital employers engage with bill to change
employment law
Do you understand what changes are
being proposed to employment relations
law, and have you engaged in the process?
I
hope the answer is yes to
both of these. We want a
framework for workplace
relations that enables employers
and employees the flexibility
to meet the growing
demands of the future of work,
not stifle it.
Currently the Employment
Relations Amendment Bill is
making its way through the
legislative process. The purpose
of the bill is to implement
the Labour-led Government’s
post-election commitments to
restore key minimum employment
standards and protections
for employees, in addition to
strengthening collective bargaining
and union rights.
In March we ran workshops
in your region sharing
information with businesses
on these proposed changes and
encouraged them to submit in
this process. We were delighted
with the number of Waikato
businesses attending these
workshops in Waikato to find
out what the proposed changes
would mean for their operation.
This Government is keen
to hear from business and our
AP Construction a cost effective
one stop shop
Hamilton-based construction
company AP
Construction’s distinct
point of difference is being able
to complete most aspects of a
building project in-house from
demolition to earthworks and
final construction. Company
head quantity surveyor Charl
Van Geem says this is backed
up by a team of highly skilled
quantity surveyors, managers
and carpenters.
The company’s skill was
evidenced recently when it
undertook the construction of a
new VINZ centre in Hamilton
for client Gilpro Developments.
The project was started in January
2017 and completed by
mid December. AP Construction
built a 650 square metre
facility complemented by a 150
square metre office block made
from precast concrete panels
and structural steel. Extensive
earthworks were also completed
by the company. This
was the only unpredictable
aspect with the site having to be
dug deeper than initially anticipated
by the engineer, but large
quantities of crushed concrete
were supplied by our sister
companies Waikato Demolition
and AP Waste. Charl says
close liaison with the client and
tenant resulted in a successful
project that suited VINZ specific
requirements and standards.
The aim of AP Construction
is to offer clients a more
cost effective solution to building
projects using the latest
construction techniques, says
Charl. AP Construction is part
of the AP Group, which consists
of AP Construction, AP
Investments, AP Recyclers Ltd
trading as Waikato Demolition,
AP Demolition, AP Waste.
“Within the AP Group we
can offer a one stop shop,” says
Charl. “We have established
relationships with the area's best
tradespeople and businesses
and we directly employ local,
experienced, qualified trade
teams. This is complemented
by an extensive in-house selection
of heavy ground-works
equipment to ensure the best
pricing is passed on to clients.”
Subcontractors we would
like to a acknowledge:
ELECTRICAL - Phoenix
Electrical
MECHANICAL -
Condair Mechanical
Services
PRECAST WALL PANELS
- Stresscrete
STRUCTURAL STEEL -
BLM Engineering
ROOFING - CTR Roofing
PLUMBING & DRAINAGE
- Bridges Plumbing
ASPHALT - Hamilton
Asphalt
WINDOW JOINERY -
Regal Joinery
FLOORING - The Floor
Store
KITCHEN JOINERY -
Kitchen FX
HELPING BUSINESS SUCCEED
> BY KIM CAMPBELL
Kim Campbell is chief executive of the Employers and
Manufacturers Association kim.campbell@ema.co.nz
job is to make it easy for you to
engage in this process. After all,
not everyone has the luxury of a
person sitting in their business
who can wade through proposed
legislation and generate a
submission which speaks to the
needs of your business.
We walked attendees
through the changes and along
the way encouraged them to
think about how these changes
may impact their workplaces.
After all, not all of the proposed
changes are undesirable – but
its important individual businesses
highlight the changes
which may have outcomes not
in keeping with the aim of the
legislation.
We also gave attendees a
simple guide on how to submit.
This is a public policy process
and therefore it is important the
Government hears from all of
those who have matters they
wish to raise.
We too have submitted on
six key areas which business
told us were important.
These are around the restoration
of statutory rest and
meal breaks; restriction of the
90-day-trial period to businesses
with fewer than 20
employees; reinstatement of
an employee as the primary
remedy to an unfair dismissal;
restoration of duty to conclude
bargaining; restoration of the 30
day rule whereby new employees
are employed under terms
consistent with the collective
agreement; restoration of union
access without prior employer
consent and requirement to
include pay rates in collective
agreements.
I don’t think there’s any
disagreement that we all want
a highly skilled and innovative
economy that provides good
jobs, decent work conditions
and fair wages. We want economic
growth and we want that
to flow through our society.
We are part of the global
economy. We need to be agile
enough to remain competitive
now and into the future. Flexible
work arrangements, lifelong
learning and embracing
technology all feed into growing
our productivity.
Submissions have now
closed and the Bill is sitting
with the Education and Workforce
Select Committee where
it will progress through its second
reading. The submission
process and this stage of the Bill
are the most crucial when you
are trying to influence change.
It is anticipated that this Bill
will pass into law later in the
year.
NEW CLOTHING RANGE
COMING SOON
Have a happy Holden Easter
51-57 Alexandra Street. Hamilton, New Zealand
email: parts@ebbett.co.nz
Ph 07 839 4832
www.ebbett.co.nz
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