Greens release industrial relations policy

NATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW: The Green Party has launched its industrial relations policy, calling for an immediate increase in the minimum wage, another public holiday and a review of the Employment Relations Act.

Spokeswoman Sue Bradford said low paid workers and their families were carrying an unfair share of the costs of climate change, rising fuel and food prices and the fallout from the international credit crunch.

"It is more important than ever that workers are treated well," she said.

"Many wage increases have not kept pace with inflation over the last few years despite economic and productivity growth and small, piecemeal reforms of the Employment Relations Act are not addressing some of the structural problems with the legislation."

Key points of the policy are:

* Lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour immediately (it is $12 an hour at present);

* A new framework for state sector collective bargaining to ensure consistency and fairness across the public service;

* An additional statutory holiday to fall between Queen's Birthday and Labour Weekend;

* Working to extend paid parental leave to 13 months;

* A full review of the Employment Relations Act; and

* A separate government agency to support union and employer bargaining on multi-employer collective agreements.