Its new National government plans to abandon compulsory unionism and centralised wage fixing.

Historically, labour governments in NZ have solved this problem by legislating for compulsory unionism.

He was an advocate of compulsory unionism and equal pay, and was an opponent of Saturday retail trading and late-night shopping, all major issues in the 1950s and 1960s.

The end of compulsory unionism in 1996 with the election of the Howard Government had had a significant effect on membership, dropping from the high shortly after amalmagation to the current levels.

Siddons pledged that the UAP would lower taxes, stimulate the economy, protect small shop-owners from unfair competition, abolish compulsory unionism and would be an anti-uranium, pro-environment party.

The First Labour Government's 1936 amendment had two major provisions: the 40 hour week and compulsory unionism.

The 1961 amendment, passed by the Second National Government abolished compulsory unionism.

However membership continued to be compulsory when unions and employers agreed that it should be, or if 50% of relevant workers voted for compulsory unionism in their industry.

Even in cases where compulsory unionism did not remain in force, employers were still required to prefer union members if they were equally qualified to non-union workers.

Much of the debate today centered on whether the bill would impose "compulsory unionism" on workers.