Written By: - Date published: 6:25 pm, December 10th, 2008 - 55 comments
The Manawatu Standard has a good op-ed piece today on how National has squandered its honeymoon with its arrogant and out-of-touch behaviour on the fire at will bill. The National party rose to power on the back of, among other things, scathing accusations that a supremely arrogant Labour party had “lost touch” with the people. …
Written By: - Date published: 8:46 pm, December 9th, 2008 - 22 comments
Kate Wikinson, John Key’s hapless Minister of Labour, has told NZPA the public shouldn’t get to have their say on the fire at will bill because, apparently, we already had our chance with Wayne Mapp’s private member’s bill back in 2006. This argument is complete bollocks, and she knows it. Perhaps that’s why she refused …
Written By: - Date published: 2:20 pm, December 9th, 2008 - 21 comments
National has been working hard to push the idea that its fire at will policy introduces a ‘probationary period’ of employment. This is not true. The Employment Relations Act already allows for probationary employment periods, it simply requires that workers are given the right to fair process and natural justice. All National’s proposed legislation would …
Written By: - Date published: 1:55 pm, December 9th, 2008 - 34 comments
The Greens have joined in opposing National’s “Fire at Will” Bill which they say puts “jobs and democracy at stake”. They’re calling on the Maori Party to stand strong in its previous opposition to the bill. Only two years ago Hone Harawira said when voting against it: [O]ur journey with this bill has not been an …
Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, December 9th, 2008 - 16 comments
These ads made by the ACTU to oppose John Howard’s removal of unfair dismissal rights sure bring home what National’s fire at will law will mean for working families. No wonder National wants to curtail any real debate by ramming it through under urgency. Part two is here.
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, December 9th, 2008 - 51 comments
I’ve just been informed that the National/ACT Government has put its 90 day fire at will bill on the Order Paper and could ram it through under urgency as early as tomorrow. This is frankly an astonishing abuse of our democracy. A piece of legislation that will remove basic work rights from hundreds of thousands …
Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, December 9th, 2008 - 38 comments
Tracy Watkins reports that the National/Act government will be taking all work rights from anyone in a new job in a firm with 20 staff or less and they’re going to do it under urgency. I’ve heard that the question of whether to proceed with the bill under urgency was still being hotly debated within …
Written By: - Date published: 2:38 pm, December 8th, 2008 - 50 comments
During this morning’s Nine to Noon politics segment Matthew Hooton was saying how he thought the Government’s 100-day action plan would only include policies signalled prior to the election when he let slip: “And I’m sure while there will be some complaints about one measure… er… some measures…” I wonder what that one unpopular measure …
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