Two Government ministers have hit out at National leader Christopher Luxon for doing a shift at a Christchurch Mcdonald's less than 24 hours after his party opposed Fair Pay Agreements.
The acting Prime Minister has even suggested Luxon may be trying to keep "his career options open".
Luxon, the Opposition leader, assembled burgers, served ice cream and helmed the drive-thru station at the Merivale McDonald's on Thursday morning. He worked at the store around 30 years ago when he was a student at Christchurch Boys' High School.
"It is fantastic," he said. "McDonald's, this is where I started working. You learn so much actually in a place like this. You get incredibly well-trained, you learn a lot about customer service and you learn a lot about teamwork. That is what work is all about."
But Luxon came under fire for the move as only on Wednesday did National oppose the Government's Fair Pay Agreement legislation.
Under the legislation, which passed its final reading this week, sector-wide agreements will be negotiated if 1000 workers in an industry or 10 percent of the workforce demand one. The agreements can set out minimum entitlements for workers, like pay, overtime rates, and leave.
The National Party has promised to repeal the legislation if it enters Government next year, concerned that it gives unions too much power.
A Mcdonald's worker told Newshub on Wednesday that the legislation will mean workers like him get "fair working conditions" and that the "industry in this current state isn't working".
Luxon, however, said, "the current arrangements have served us well".
Workplace Relations Minister Michael Wood on Thursday said it was "ironic" and "hypocritical" for Luxon to be working at a McDonald's store just a day later.
"I think his comments and the comments of the National Party show how totally out of touch they are," Wood said. "Every measure that we put forward to try and make things a little bit better and easier for the lowest paid New Zealanders they oppose."
"I would just hope that if he did that he actually had an open conversation with some of the low-wage and minimum-wage workers that he continually opposes getting better pay and conditions."
Grant Robertson, who is the acting Prime Minister while Jacinda Ardern is in Antarctica, also took a jab at the Opposition leader.
"Well, I can understand why Mr Luxon is keeping his career options open," he said.
Earlier, following his McDonalds shift, Luxon denied he was training for a new job in case National doesn't win next year's election.
"We are putting all our eggs in one basket which is to win next year," Luxon said. "I think the way the New Zealand people are feeling about our country going backwards at the moment. We have a lot of work to do, but we are going to not take it for granted."
Nicola Willis, National's deputy leader, also denied Luxon was a hypocrite.
"The truth is real wages under Labour have gone backwards by three-and-a-half percent. That is the reality for that Mcdonald's worker and for workers across the country. National is determined to address inflation that is eating a hole in every Kiwi's pocket."
Willis said National shares the goal of creating higher wages, but believes that can be achieved by the "strong management of the economy". The party has called on the Government to adjust tax thresholds to inflation to help ease the pain of the cost of living crisis.
Robertson also got up in the House on Thursday afternoon to make note of Luxon's stint at Mcdonald's.
"Can the Minister confirm reports of McDonald's workers on Newshub last night celebrating the passing of the Fair Pay Agreements legislation?" Robertson asked Wood. "Was he surprised to see the Leader of the Opposition join them this morning?"
Wood said he had met with Mcdonald's workers pleased by the Fair Pay Agreements legislation passing.
"These are workers who do important work within our society. It is only decent and fair that they receive a fair go. We believe that those workers should receive fair pay for their work, and we believe that's more important than a $19,000 tax cut for the Leader of the Opposition."
