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Employment Relations Act 2000

Recognition and operation of unions

12: Object of this Part

You could also call this:

“This part explains how unions are recognised, registered, and allowed to help workers at their jobs.”

This part of the law is about recognising and working with unions. Here’s what it aims to do:

You should know that this law recognises that unions play an important role. They help their members by promoting their collective interests at work.

The law also makes sure that unions are registered. This means they have to be responsible to their members.

Once a union is registered, it gets the right to represent its members in collective bargaining. This is when workers come together to negotiate with their employer.

The law also allows representatives from registered unions to visit workplaces. They can do this for reasons related to their members’ jobs, union business, and to look after the health and safety of workers who aren’t in the union.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM58632.

Topics:
Work and jobs > Worker rights
Government and voting > Government departments
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11: Undue influence, or

“You can't force someone to join or leave a union, or stop them from helping other workers.”

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13: Application by society to register as union, or

“A group can ask to become an official workers' club if they follow the right steps.”

Part 4 Recognition and operation of unions

12Object of this Part

  1. The object of this Part is—

  2. to recognise the role of unions in promoting their members' collective employment interests; and
    1. to provide for the registration of unions that are accountable to their members; and
      1. to confer on registered unions the right to represent their members in collective bargaining; and
        1. to provide representatives of registered unions with reasonable access to workplaces for purposes related to—
          1. the employment of the union’s members; and
            1. the union’s business; and
              1. the health and safety of employees who are not members of the union.

              Notes
              • Section 12(d): replaced, on , by section 5 of the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2018 (2018 No 53).