MBIE has approved 5 applications from unions to start bargaining for Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs):

• Early childhood education industry

• Commercial cleaner occupation

• Hospitality industry

• Security officers and guards occupation

• Bus transport industry

Applications to start FPA bargaining for the Waterside workers occupation and the Supermarket and Grocery Store industry are still being considered by MBIE.

 What employers need to do

If you employ people in an occupation or industry which is covered by a Fair Pay Agreement where bargaining has started, there are specific actions you must take now.

• Engage with your employees and union bargaining parties in good faith. That includes talking with them about Fair Pay Agreements, and not misleading or deceiving them.
   

• Not exerting undue influence on your employees. This means not influencing your employees’ decisions about joining a union or voting on the proposed agreement.
   

• Give information to your employees. Now you know bargaining for an FPA has been initiated, you must inform your employees and give them certain documents, which the union should send you.
   

• Provide FPA information to unions that your employees are members of. If any of your covered employees are members of a union, you must do your best to identify and inform those unions about the approval to initiate bargaining and where to find the notice of approval issued by the chief executive.
   

• Give the initiating union contact details to your employees which are covered by the FPA unless your employees have opted out.
   

• Allow your employees to attend two 2-hour meeting in relation to the proposed FPA. If the meeting is during time that your employee would be working, you must allow them to attend on ordinary pay.
   

• Allow representatives of an employee bargaining party reasonable access to your workplace, to discuss FPAs with your employees.
   

If you employ people who do work that is covered, but you haven’t heard from the union yet, you are still required to take these steps. You can find union and employer associations details on the Fair Pay Agreements dashboard

 How to find out more 

Want to know how the FPA bargaining process works and how you may be involved?

Read this step-by-step guide for employers on how to meet each of these requirements and this guide for covered employees here.