Five Act MPs yesterday defied Parliament's rules and prematurely disclosed changes to the Government's new labour laws.
At a series of seminars throughout the country, the MPs spelled out amendments to the Employment Relations Bill.
The changes are due to be publicly released today.
Act leader Richard Prebble, who trumpeted changes to the independent contractors clause in the bill as a major win, may face a breach of privilege charge as a result of his actions - a charge he claimed to welcome as it was time to challenge the privileges law.
Mr Prebble remained critical of the bill, saying the new law would make strikes a lethal weapon of first choice for the more-powerful unions.
The other Act MPs who briefed seminars were Ken Shirley, Stephen Franks, Muriel Newman and Penny Webster.
Some news organisations that carried Mr Prebble's comments may also face privileges complaints.
It is up to Speaker Jonathan Hunt to refer complaints surrounding the bill to the privileges committee.
Mr Prebble welcomed changes to so-called "lightning rod" issues in the bill that most concerned employers:
Independent contractors: the bill is clarified so that voluntary workers, real estate agents, sharemilkers and genuine independent contractors are excluded from the provision extending employee rights to workers technically deemed contractors but who are effectively employees. Court decisions will affect only the specific parties to the case, not wholesale classes of employees.
Access to company information: the union can still request information during bargaining, but if it is confidential it may be referred to a third party, who will decide whether to release it to the union.
Continuity of employment: clause 66, termed the "de facto compulsory redundancy" by its opponents, has been dropped. It provided that an employer had to guarantee the continued employment of every employee for the term of the contract, unless otherwise agreed. A new provision requires parties to agree on provisions relating to contracting out and transfer or sale of a business.
Employers communicating with staff: previously employers had to communicate through the union during collective bargaining. Now they may communicate directly.
Despite the "wins," Mr Prebble said negatives of the bill included unions having monopoly rights to negotiate collective contracts and having greater rights of access to worksites; wider powers for labour inspectors; and compliance costs for union leave and education.
Labour Minister Margaret Wilson said Mr Prebble's conclusions on the bill contained errors and she advised businesses "not to take action on the basis of this muddled grandstanding."
Changes to the bill will be officially tabled this morning and it will be considered under urgency next week, in time to take effect on October 2.
Parliament gave the committee until today at the latest to table the changed bill.
Mr Prebble said the committee had agreed to report by 9 am yesterday and that had also been conveyed to him by the business committee of the House last week. Act organised the seminars on that basis.
He would welcome a referral to the privileges committee. If he had breached privilege, "then it's high time we re-examined this archaic law."
New Zealand First MP Peter Brown has laid a breach of privilege complaint against Wellington's Evening Post newspaper, suggesting Green MP Sue Bradford was responsible for the leak - which she denies.
National MP Max Bradford has laid a breach of privilege complaint against Ms Wilson, claiming she disclosed changes to the bill at the engineers' union conference last week.
Standing orders prohibit disclosure of closed-door select committee deliberations. But the rules do not cover the cabinet.
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