An independent contractor law that New Zealand put in place at the behest of a film studio may be going away.

Known as the “Hobbit Law,” it classified film actors and workers as independent contractors instead of employees in order to prevent collective bargaining, according to stuff.nz.com. It came about in 2010 in the wake of union effort surrounding the “Hobbit” films where the studio threatened to move production outside of New Zealand.

However, the country’s new government recently pledged to repeal the law.

The move was welcomed by actor union Equity New Zealand. “This is a law that is deeply unfair for workers, so it is wonderful to see our new government make its repeal a priority,” Equity New Zealand President Jennifer Ward-Lealand said, adding the announcement demonstrates a commitment to creating and supporting fair and equitable employment conditions.

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