Protests have been taking place in New Zealand ahead of changes to employment legislation coming into force.

The alterations take effect from Friday (April 1st) and opponents of the new measures claim that they are unfair to workers.

Under the new system, a 90-day trial period for employees will be imposed, in a move that is intended to increase hiring in the country.

In addition, the government plans will reduce access by workers to unions and introduce stricter regulations relating to sick leave and medical certificates.

National secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, which is lobbying against the new measures, stated: "Employers are very good at demanding standards of behaviour for employees. Employees are also entitled to demand acceptable standards of behaviour from their employers."

A campaign entitled Things Just Got Tougher has been launched by the body calling on employers to reject the changes to a number of labor laws.

Figures from Statistics New Zealand for the fourth quarter of 2010 showed unemployment stood at 6.8 per cent over the period, an increase of 0.4 points from the previous three months, but a decline of 0.2 points year-on-year.

Posted by Sarah Dixon