Tuesday, March 12, 2013



A victory on meal breaks

Back in 2009, the government introduced legislation to steal workers' meal and rest breaks, replacing statutory entitlements with vague promises of "reasonable" and "appropriate" "breaks" (during which employees may in fact have been required to work). But despite threats to pass it under urgency, the bill went through select committee - and then stalled. And now, after two and a half years, the government has backed down and discharged it.

Its a victory, but only a minor one. Still, its good to hear that one way in which National was planning to make life worse for ordinary people has been defeated.