Lean Meats Oamaru Ltd v New Zealand Meat Workers and Related Trades Union Inc - [2017] 2 NZLR 234

Employment law — Employment agreements — Paid rest breaks — Contractual freedom — Trade union re-negotiated contract with employer — Employment legislation required paid rest breaks — Interpretation of “paid” rest breaks — Whether rest breaks required to be paid at the existing rate employee is paid for work or whether lower payment can be negotiated — Whether the application of different rates for different types of work was available — Employment Relations Act 2000, ss 69Z and 238.

Statutory interpretation — Statute required paid rest breaks — Interpretation of “paid” rest breaks — Requirement to be interpreted according to purpose of achieving better work-life balance — Purpose of requiring rest breaks — Employment Relations Act 2000, ss 69ZD and 238.