The Government has announced its long-promised plan to introduce a mandatory, sector-wide collective bargaining regime in the form of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs). This represents the most significant overhaul of the country’s employment and industrial relations framework in over three decades. It’s also one of the largest structural changes - in any field - that the Government has made this term.
Unsurprisingly, there has been a strong and swift response from New Zealand’s business community. A number of industry bodies have criticised the potential negative impact such a change could have on small to medium-sized businesses which account for the vast majority of all businesses in New Zealand. Also, some political commentators have decried the influential role that unions will have in the new system.
So what will FPAs mean for your business? It’s important that you understand the proposed system as well as the potential challenges and also have your say.
PwC’s Employment Advisory team helps employers navigate the complexities and opportunities of managing their most important asset - their people. Our multidisciplinary team of legal, consulting and tax specialists, can deliver a complete solution for all people-related issues. This makes us uniquely placed to assist organisations to navigate the new FPA system. We’re also here to help businesses with matters such as remote working practices, policy development, as well as tax, legal and immigration issues.