The Standard » employment

Stick a fork in Port management, they’re done

James Henderson — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:03:45 +0000

A leaked Ports of Auckland strategy document shows their goal is to reduce the stevedores' wages by 20%. They were planning to manufacture a crisis even before the stevedores' collective expired. They've been rumbled breaking the law by not bargaining in good faith. Their political support will now evaporate. They should cut their losses, and a deal with the workers, now.

Workers worried about job security

Guest post — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:42:53 +0000

Employment confidence has plunged to its lowest level in 2 years, according to the latest Westpac survey. A bosses' shill says workers are wrong to be worried about their jobs. Unfortunately, the bosses have been promising us that everything's going to be OK for four years now, and workers have a good track record on picking the state of the job market.

What’s really going on at Ports of Auckland 2

James Henderson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:03:54 +0000

Since my post yesterday, Ports of Auckland has upped the ante threatening to sack all its workers and contract out (to quick and loud cheers from the National-aligned blogs they are working with - Cameron Slater's rate is $10,000 for an operation like this). What they're proposing is a breach of the law and wouldn't work, but its just setting the scene for the next stage.

Trading Futures

Bill — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:46:50 +0000

This post is intended to do more than merely generate discussion. It’s a serious proposition seeking action. Its intent is to lay out or sign post (at least some of) the basic or necessary legal and social structures of a Community Collective comprised of both workers and housing collectives that would enable people to assume meaningful control over aspects of their futures.

Law firm sets out business wish list

Anthony R0bins — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:09:41 +0000

Law firm Chapman Tripp has taken it upon itself to summarise the business community's expectations for National's second term. Back to youth rates, and that's just for starters.

How we got where we are

Anthony R0bins — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:35:24 +0000

Last election we had a choice between competent economic management and a bunch of hollow promises. We made a poor choice then, and the record shows that we have wasted three years as a result. Coming up to this election we don't need more tired Nat excuses, we need solutions. Bring back Labour!

Labour’s jobs policy

Anthony R0bins — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:04:39 +0000

Now that we're all over Nice Mr Key, maybe we can focus on minor details like the environment, the economy, assets, and jobs...

Creating opportunities

Anthony R0bins — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:14:31 +0000

The Nats admit that they've failed to close the gap between rich and poor. In fact, of course, it's getting worse. Bill English says they've "created opportunities", which is Tory speak for doing nothing at all.

Another empty promise

Eddie — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:13:25 +0000

National says it'll get 57,000 more people off benefits and into work over 4 years. That would require 50% more job creation than Treasury projects. Unless you do something about the lack of jobs, you won't get benefit numbers down. Promising the latter without doing the former is a fraud on New Zealand. Just another broken Nat promise waiting to happen.

CEOs rake it in while their corporations dodge taxes.

Mike Smith — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:51:47 +0000

Guns don't kill people, the old saw goes. People do. By the same token, corporations don't dodge taxes. People do. The people who run corporations are reaping awesomely lavish rewards for the tax dodging they have their corporations do. A report from the Institute of Policy Studies shows that 25 major U.S. corporations last year paid their chief executives more than they paid Uncle Sam in federal income taxes. Creative accounting is also a problem here.

Hold the front page!

Anthony R0bins — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:29:22 +0000

Remember those thundering editorials and opinion pieces chastising Labour for focusing on trivia instead of the substantive issues?

Earning or learning

Anthony R0bins — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:33:54 +0000

This afternoon Labour released a substantial policy package targeting youth unemployment. Once again the public is being offered a choice between Labour's realistic response to a significant problem, and more do-nothing smile and wave.

Cuts and consequences

Jenny Michie — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:10:47 +0000

The government reckons it can cut the number of public sector workers without cutting services. That wasn’t the experience of the 80s and 90s when vital institutional knowledge and expertise were lost in a frenzy of asset sales, privatisation and brutal job cuts– when public service numbers dropped from around 85,000 public servants to under 30,000 ...

Nats refuse to face their record on youth

Eddie — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:46:01 +0000

Having decided to beat up on a few thousand of the most hard done by young people in the country, National is now refusing to acknowledge the problem of disconnected youth that has ballooned under their watch. There are enough young people who aren't in education, training, or work to fill Eden Park, and Key is literally running from the issue.

Breeding for a business?

Anthony R0bins — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:07:37 +0000

A typical shock horror headline on Stuff in the weekend - "Pre-teens dream of kids and dole". So what's going on here, and is it an argument for "welfare reform"?