Thanks David!

Written By: - Date published: 6:34 am, April 27th, 2015 - 32 comments
Categories: labour, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

I’m planning to enjoy a day off today – the first “mondayised” public holiday – thanks to the work of David Clark, Grant Robertston, and others in Labour and the parties that supported the Bill. National and ACT voted against this holiday.

According to employers there is some confusion around hours and pay, but nothing that shouldn’t get quickly sorted.

Enjoy the holiday!


(Disclosure: David Clark is my MP, and a very good one too. I work on his election campaigns.)

32 comments on “Thanks David! ”

  1. tc 1

    Spare a thought for our digger mates across the ditch off to work today, thanks David Clark.

    Yet another example of this mean spirited gov’t voting against it whilst handing out corporate welfare to skycity etc

  2. Lanthanide 2

    Correction: first Mondayised ANZAC day. Christmas and New year’s have been Mondayised for at least 10 years now, which is why this member’s bill was straightforward and easy to implement – because there was already a tried and tested system in place.

    Personally I think ANZAC day should have been Fridayised – it would give it a distinct special character from the Mondayised holidays, and for those that work Tuesday to Saturday rosters, would give them an extra holiday if ANZAC day fell on Sunday. Since most holidays fall on Mondays already, people in these rosters miss out.

    • millsy 2.1

      10 Years..? I thought it was a lot longer than that…

      I remember as a child going on about ‘Boxing Day Holiday” back in the 80s..

      • Lanthanide 2.1.1

        Er, the Mondayisation part has been happening for at least ten years. I made and continue to make no comment about the number of holiday days at Christmas and New Years.

  3. Tigger 3

    #casualjohn voting against a holiday?

  4. Clemgeopin 4

    What is it about the RW, ACT & National, that are constantly bringing in policies and legislation against worker welfare, while at the same time working primarily for the benefit of the wealthy and the corporates? Have these RW parties lost their values completely?

    Just imagine what the state of our country and its people would have been today if the there were to be no worker unions and the enlightened just, caring and fair minded worker and social policies brought about by most of the previous Labour administrations!

    • Murray Rawshark 4.1

      “Have these RW parties lost their values completely?”

      No. These are, and always have been, their values. At times of a stronger left, they have had to hide them.

    • Scotty 4.2

      I don’t think Anzac Day has anything to do with workers’ rights, nor should it. I don’t think our soldiers fought and died so that we could have a Monday off. It makes us appear to be shallow and selfish if it is necessary to freeload off someone else’s war effort. If another Monday stat was necessary, tack it on somewhere else and leave Anzac Day as it was.

  5. Saarbo 5

    Nothing in the MSM that I can find highlighting this, I hope Labour put out a press release to get some well earned credit.

    Very much enjoying the day off with the family.

    • Ergo Robertina 5.1

      There hasn’t been much; it’s been busier than usual news-wise though, and Anzac Day itself was a bigger story than usual. The ODT ran this:

      http://www.odt.co.nz/news/business/339686/anzac-day-payments-simple-most

      Dunedin North MP David Clark is thrilled the Anzac Day public holiday will be transferred to next Monday, allowing people to spend quality time with friends and family.
      He is urging people to travel to spend time with elderly relatives and friends, even if they were not returned service people, because of their strong ties to those who served in World War 1.
      ”I am delighted people can get time to spend with family and friends and enjoy the freedoms the Anzacs fought for.”
      Dr Clark was instrumental in getting a law through Parliament ”Mondayising” Anzac Day and Waitangi Day if they fell at a weekend.

  6. ankerawshark 6

    Thanks David and everyone else in Labour that made this happen.

    It couldn’t have come at a better time for me!

  7. weka 7

    Is Anzac public holiday a half day or a fulll day for most businesses?

    • I *believe* that ANZAC Day itself (the 25th) is a half day but no restrictions apply on the Monday?

      • weka 7.1.1

        Ok, I’m confused now. Did businesses have to close on Sat morning? And now have to close on Monday morning too?

        edit, just seen millsy’s comment about christmas stats. So both Sat and Monday are stats (half day in this case)?

        • According to MBIE, half-day closure only occurs on the 25th, no matter what day of the week it falls on.
          http://www.dol.govt.nz/workplace/knowledgebase/item/1672

          • weka 7.1.1.1.1

            Ok, so the shops etc have to close on the 25th for a half day, and then if that’s on the weekend, they have to give their staff a half day off on Monday as well? Or pay them extra? Or both?

            • Lanthanide 7.1.1.1.1.1

              Monday is a normal statutory holiday. ANZAC day has the unique 1pm opening time (although it seems restaurants, including fast food, are excluded from this?).

              To know what you’re entitled to in terms of extra benefits it’s pretty confusing, it depends on when you normally work.

              1. If you normally work on Saturday and you do, then you are entitled to time-and-a-half + day in lieu. You get regular pay for the morning hours when the business was closed for trading.

              2. If you don’t normally work Saturday and you do, then the time you work is paid at the normal rate and you don’t get day-in-liue.

              3. If you normally work on Monday and you do, then you are entitled to time-and-a-half + day in liue.

              4. If you don’t normally work Monday and you do, then you are entitled to time-and-a-half but no day in liue.

              5. If you *normally* work BOTH Saturday and Monday, then Saturday is considered the holiday for you and Monday is considered a normal working day. So if you do work on the Saturday you fall under #1, and if you do work on the Monday then it’s treated as a regular working day like in #2.

              6. To remove all doubt, each worker only gets to observe ANZAC day on one of Saturday or Monday, not both.

              • weka

                Holy shit.

                Ok, thanks. Mostly I’m trying to figure out what businesses will be doing. Shall I assume that most will close for all of Monday?

                • Lanthanide

                  Yes, non-retail or hospitality businesses will (were) almost certainly be shut.

                  All the above rules look quite intimidating, but it really can be summed up like this:
                  The only workers who get to observe Saturday as a public holiday, are those who would normally work on Saturday. Everyone else observes Monday as the public holiday and Saturday as a regular working day.

  8. millsy 8

    If anyone is confused, then they shouldnt be — Christmas and New Years are the same.

  9. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 9

    I am at work.

    Self-employment is a bitch.

  10. Wonderpup 10

    About to take the dogs out for a walk, and then a whole lot of chores around the flat. Thanks David!

  11. Skinny 11

    What a winner this has been lets hope David & Labour get full acolades.

    Yesterday we done our supermarket shopping, it was most noticeable how relaxed everyone was not the normal hustle and bustle from the punters.

    Of course Business NZ come out all anti saying the loss of productivity is concerning in these tough times. Hold up the other week it was all about the rock star economy. Which is it idiots rock of pop?

    It is a travesty in the modern era how we are not all working 4 days per week with 3 days off. Big business, the corporate greedy have manipulated our lives by driving down incomes so workers are having to work longer hours ‘not less.’ The spin merchants push consumerism and the banker’s enslave people too more debt.

    • Murray Rawshark 11.1

      Tautoko. We should have had 4 for 5 years ago. Instead, we’ve gone backwards.

  12. Sanctuary 12

    It’s all hoodies and trackpants here, with pizza and movies coming up. Thanks David!

  13. McFlock 13

    According to employers there is some confusion around hours and pay

    It never ceases to amaze me how we are supposed to acknowledge the brilliance of “job creators” when the slightest change causes them confusion on when employees should turn up to work and how much employees should be paid when that’s the “job creator’s” only bloody job.

  14. david 14

    Good work Labour.

    A long weekend is good for many sectors of the economy.

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