Covid 19 coronavirus: Unions, advocates seek assurance for tenants, employees

The government has already brought in a six-month rent freeze and restrictions on landlords terminating tenancies. Photo / 123rf

By RNZ

Tenants' advocates seek further protections

Advocates for tenants want the government to give renters long-term protection during the Covid-19 crisis.

Several community organisations said tenants should not have to pay more than 30 per cent of their income on rent.

They also wanted all emergency housing grants to be non-recoverable, and for boarders and flatmates to have tenancy rights.

The Government has already brought in a six-month freeze on rent increases and restrictions on landlords terminating tenancies.

Ben Schmidt, of the Manawatū Tenants' Union, said more needed to be done.

"Changes that have passed are not there to protect tenants in the longer term yet," Schmidt said.

"We need to make it longer term than just the next six months because the right to stable and secure housing should not just be a short-term fix."

Employees must feel safe working at level 3 - union

Businesses re-opening next week under alert level 3 must brief staff on how they will be kept safe, the Council of Trade Unions says.

Photo / 123rf

Most businesses can re-open when the country moves to the lower alert level on Tuesday, but they must follow strict heath and safety rules.

Council President Richard Wagstaff said people returning to work would likely be stressed about being exposed to Covid-19 and their employers must protect their physical and mental health.

"The essential service workers and now the level 3 workers, they're our first people going out there and putting themselves at risk to keep things going, to keep businesses going, to keep their work going.

"We owe it to them to make sure that we do everything we can to make sure they're looked after."

It was more important than ever that businesses had procedures in place for reporting health and safety problems when they arose, he said.

Employers also needed to reassure staff who needed to stay home that they would retain their pay.

One third of early childhood centres to remain closed at level 3

One third of ECE centres will remain closed at alert level 3, the Early Childhood Council says.

The council said it had surveyed its members and 55 per cent said they would open to support parents returning to work.

Thirty-three per cent said they would not open and 12 per cent were unsure.

Along with schools, the centres are allowed to reopen on Tuesday for children who cannot learn from home.

The council's chief executive Peter Reynolds said early childhood centres would be very different places this week.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

"No one's done this before. Centres are doing all they can to provide a safe environment for children and help prevent Covid-19 coming in through the door," Reynolds said.

The council said 83 per cent of members surveyed said they had all the information they needed, or were confident it would come, while 74 per cent said they were feeling nervous, concerned or 'only okay' about opening.