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Employment Relations Act 2000

Strikes and lockouts - Interpretation

82: Meaning of lockout

You could also call this:

“Lockout is when a boss stops work to make workers agree to what the boss wants”

In this law, a lockout is when an employer does something to make employees accept certain work conditions or follow the employer’s demands. This can happen in a few ways:

The employer might close their business, stop running it, or shut down part of it. They might also fire some or all of their workers. Sometimes, they might break the agreements they have with their workers. The employer might also refuse to give work to people they usually hire.

When an employer does any of these things to try to force workers to agree to certain terms or do what the employer wants, it’s called a lockout. The law also says that if an employer helps another employer do these things, it’s still a lockout.

The law also mentions that “to lock out” means to be part of a lockout. This could be the employer who starts the lockout or another employer who helps with it.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM59970.

Topics:
Work and jobs > Worker rights
Business > Industry rules
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81: Meaning of strike, or

“This explains what workers do when they stop working or slow down because they're unhappy with their job.”

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82A: Requirement for union to hold secret ballot before strike, or

“Workers must vote secretly before they can go on strike”

Part 8 Strikes and lockouts
Interpretation

82Meaning of lockout

  1. In this Act, lockout means an act that—

  2. is the act of an employer—
    1. in closing the employer's place of business, or suspending or discontinuing the employer's business or any branch of that business; or
      1. in discontinuing the employment of any employees; or
        1. in breaking some or all of the employer's employment agreements; or
          1. in refusing or failing to engage employees for any work for which the employer usually employs employees; and
          2. is done with a view to compelling employees, or to aid another employer in compelling employees, to—
            1. accept terms of employment; or
              1. comply with demands made by the employer.

              2. In this Act, to lock out means to become a party to a lockout.

              Compare
              • 1991 No 22 s 62