Trade unions were quickly into attack mode following the release yesterday of National's workplaces policy.
Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Bill Newson said New Zealanders deserved a proper conversation about National's plans to keep undermining the real value of their wages and conditions at work.
''They've deliberately released this policy, which affects all working Kiwis, on a day when everyone's eyes are on other matters,'' he said.
''It looks like they want to avoid a serious discussion about what the future of New Zealand workplaces should look like.''
Labour Minister Simon Bridges said National would continue to have a strong commitment on flexibility and choice in the labour market, as well as an increased focus on health and safety.
''We believe a flexible workforce supported by fair employment law is critical for supporting a productive economy and we will continue to make improvements to employment law to achieve this.''
National would pass the Employment Relations Amendment Bill to make it easier to establish flexible working arrangements and improve collective bargaining.
The enforcement of New Zealand's minimum employment standards would also be strengthened.
National would also extend paid parental leave to 18 weeks, increase eligibility and make the system fairer to reflect modern working arrangements and family structure.
National had set in motion the most significant changes in health and safety at work in more than two decades, Mr Bridges said.
''We will continue to implement these changes, helping to ensure we meet our target of reducing New Zealand's workplace death and serious injury toll by 25% by 2020,'' he said.
BusinessNZ chief executive Phil O'Reilly said it was helpful to see a focus on the issues that could advance growth - free trade agreements for more exporting, improving the Resource Management Act, filling skills gaps, supporting R&D, rolling out broadband, improving employment relations law, simplifying tax, increasing petroleum and minerals exploration, and improving roading.
There were areas where businesses would seek further change. Many would prefer R&D funding to be more strictly targeted on young, high-tech ventures.
''Many businesses would also like to see a more rapid, less incremental rate of change,'' he said.
''The challenge is to rapidly increase productivity for higher, more permanent levels of economic growth.''
