Zero hour contracts are now a thing of the past, and the Government is sticking to its guns that that was always what it intended.

The Employment Standards Legislation bill passed its third reading in Parliament last night, and comes into effect on April 1st.

Several opposition MPs took the opportunity last night to remind the Government that they'd been forced to make major amendments to the legislation.

MORE: End of zero hour contracts "a significant back down" by the Government

But Workplace Relations Minister Michael Woodhouse said it didn't bother him.

"They were always going to crow, they were always going to claim a much greater influence over some very minor and technical amendments at the end."

Mr Woodhouse said it's extremely rare to see a bill pass with unanimous support, which shows how strong the feeling is.

"Those lazy employers, who believed they could keep their employees on a string and just give them a call if they need them [...] are going to need to jack-up their ideas."

Labour's workplace relations spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway said employees can finally do something other than wait by the phone.

"To be able to join sports clubs, to be able to go to your kids school and see them playing sport or being in a play or see their assembly, to be able to do the things that ordinary working people ought to be able to take for granted."

But Green Party industrial relations spokeswoman Denise Roche said there's still lots to do to make work more secure.

"Yes we applaud National's back-down on this bill, but let's not kid ourselves about the nature of this Government," she said.

"National has passed legislation that's made it harder for unions to organize, made it harder for working people."