Workrights on the Nation
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10:28 am, June 23rd, 2013 - 121 comments
Categories: class war, workers' rights -
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An interesting couple of interviews. Jamie-Lee Ross admits he took advice on strikebreaking from the Ports of Auckland Ltd and Darien Fenton makes it clear what National are up to, and (note to Labour’s press team) shows why she should be fronting serious media more often.
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New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...12 hours ago - Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder listThe Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...14 hours ago
- Judicial appointments announcedAttorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...15 hours ago
- Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in SingaporeEducation Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...16 hours ago
- Value of stopbank project proven during cycloneA stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...16 hours ago
- Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visitForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...16 hours ago
- Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac DayScience, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...19 hours ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...1 day ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...1 day ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...2 days ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...2 days ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...2 days ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...2 days ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...2 days ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...2 days ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...2 days ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...3 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...3 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...3 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...3 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...4 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...4 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...4 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...4 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...4 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...5 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...5 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...5 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...5 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...5 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...1 week ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...1 week ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...1 week ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...1 week ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...1 week ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...1 week ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...1 week ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...1 week ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...1 week ago
- Rousing farewell for Kiwi doctors flying out to Gaza aid flotilla
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...6 hours ago - Communities Against The Fast-track Heartened By ‘Overwhelming’ Public Response; Disgusted By ‘...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...8 hours ago - Renters Rights To Drastically Reduce Under Landlord GovernmentThe Government’s announced changes around tenancy rules set renters’ rights back by nearly a decade. ...8 hours ago
- NZPI Submission on Fast Track Approvals BillOur response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...8 hours ago
- Fast Track Invite List Includes Most Destructive Industries In New ZealandThe new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...8 hours ago
- Eugene Doyle: Helen Clark on why AUKUS isn’t in New Zealand’s national interestCOMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...8 hours ago
- Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...10 hours ago - The Week in Politics: Job cuts surge and Waitangi Tribunal troubleAnalysis - It's been a grim week for public servants, while trouble is also brewing between the government and Waitangi Tribunal. ...11 hours ago
- It never rains but it pours: intense rain and flash floods have increased inland in eastern Australi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...11 hours ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaThe PM has defended how he's talked up NZ trade on his trip to Southeast Asia, after criticism from his own delegation. ...11 hours ago
- ‘It could be the death of the museum’: why research cuts at a South Australian institution have ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...11 hours ago
- Government signs off $41m clean energy deal with Asian Development BankThe government has committed $41 million to clean energy transition at the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism. ...12 hours ago
- Are 2 mid-career AFL retirements a sign Australian athletes are taking brain health more seriously?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...14 hours ago
- Luxon: Waitangi Tribunal comments from coalition parties 'ill considered'Comments from ACT and NZ First ministers about the Tribunal were "ill considered" and "that message will be underscored" to them, the PM says. ...14 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding SqueezeThe Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...14 hours ago
- I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...14 hours ago
- How the coolest little capital is shrinkingIt's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...15 hours ago
- Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...15 hours ago - Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...15 hours ago
- Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...15 hours ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...15 hours ago - The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...15 hours ago
- Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lostVisitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...15 hours ago
- Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job CutsWith New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...15 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...15 hours ago
- Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreementThe contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...15 hours ago
- Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...16 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costsChief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...16 hours ago
- The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...16 hours ago
- Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...16 hours ago
- Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going upRoaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...17 hours ago
- What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānauThe Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...17 hours ago
- NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensionsThe commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...18 hours ago
- How superblocks can help reimagine city lifeBarcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...18 hours ago
- Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIEThe public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...19 hours ago
- “Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...19 hours ago
- ‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in IndiaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...20 hours ago
- Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...20 hours ago
- Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period productsYes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...20 hours ago
- Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...20 hours ago
- Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track LegislationThe Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...20 hours ago
- Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...20 hours ago
- Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...20 hours ago
- Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...20 hours ago
- Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-handSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...20 hours ago
- ‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration StatusThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...20 hours ago
- 20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last yearThe government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...21 hours ago
- All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to bestRaglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...24 hours ago
- Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation feesResidents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...24 hours ago
- Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolvedShane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...24 hours ago
- Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China SeaNew Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...24 hours ago
- Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servantsThe thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...24 hours ago
- New Zealand transport planning has gone off the railsOpinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...24 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 19 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...24 hours ago
- Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slowsThe transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...24 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...24 hours ago
- Financial literacy should be on all of usOpinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...24 hours ago
- Missy rustles to stardom in CanadaHineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...24 hours ago
- Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the paceOfficial figures confirm New Zealand produced less climate pollution in 2022 than in any other year in the 21st century The post Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace appeared first on Newsroom. ...24 hours ago
- Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...1 day ago
- Group plans work to improve safety of female MPsNew research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...1 day ago
- Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid voteUkraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...1 day ago
- PSA astonished Education Minister expects hiring of contractors to review curriculumHiring contractors is an appalling solution when people who could do the work are losing their jobs, the PSA says. ...1 day ago
- Crown lawyers attempt to block Waitangi Tribunal summons to Minister for ChildrenThe Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...1 day ago
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Why isn’t this a surprise? After all Jami-Lee Ross is closely associated with the Stlater-Lusk group and, apparently, received assistance from them to secure his nomination into the Nat’s selection for Botany.
He is more an ACToid than a moderate National (if anything like a moderate Nat existed.).
5 minuets of fame, look at me, look at me……John…look at me..Pleaseeeeeeeee!
There are few moderates left in National. It’s an accepted strategy amongst the far radical Nactoid right to hold themselves out as moderates in order to get away with the agenda…all by stealth because if it’s too quick, as with being too obviously far right, it won’t work. But of course anyone who says this is marginalised as a wacky conspiracy theorist.
oh dear – darien missed the point – $27B worth of economy and 300 staff holding up 100,000 of lives
Nations words not mine – I agree on good employee and employer relationship – but seriously where is the end game policy.\\Interesting she said that in the act staff can work during a strike…will why dont unions allow it instead of calling people SCAB’s.
Own goal
Blame the port company for playing brinksmanship using Auckland’s entire economy. Try and fuck your own workers instead of valuing them, so why pretend to be surprised at the push back?
No they were protecting 27b dollars of exports for 100,000 of people’s livelihood
So why did they try to fuck their workers who actually do that work?
Who said they did. See what I don’t understand about you guys is you didn’t give a dam about the public. It was a small minority group in a massive big supply chain and you put my business at risk. Thanks for f… Nothing
You got fucked over by a bunch of rightwing managers who didn’t give a fuck about their customers and couldn’t be held to account by their shareholders and then you blame the workers?
With logic like that I’m picking the biggest threat to your business is your fucking misfiring brain. No fucking wonder nine out of ten new businesses fail if they’re being run by retards like you.
Yep 10 years laters I’m still here…even employ staff too. Quartz I bet you don’t even work or even know how to be customer focussed
Ha! Given what an unpleasant little creature you are when you’re here I’d hate to experience your customer-focus! I imagine it makes your customers quite queasy.
Tell me yes, do you think your staff like you?
If you’re that confident of your business genius/friend of the working man status, howabout you arrange a visit from a union organiser? Even better, email TS with your work’s contact details and if they pass it on to me, I’ll organise the visit myself. You have nothing to lose but your chain of burger bars, comrade.
Why I pay well over the market rate..a union would just add cost to my business and my staff lose money out of their 35$ per hour wage rate. Why you send me your email and I will come round to your union and give them an invoice for lost revenue.
And by the way my customer service is awesome and my staff love me.
No they don’t.
In his born-to-rule world they do. Everyone does.
Quartz unions do? Do you work? Do you own a business? Do you employ people? If you can’t say yes to any of those last two then you don’t have a clue about business and just a text book warrior
Mate a wanker is a wanker is a wanker. Whether it’s on the internet, in “customer service”, or down the pub playing darts, nobody likes a wanker. And you, “yes”, are a wanker.
If they’re really on $35 ph (and it’s all Lombard St to a china orange they’re not) then they’re hardly going to miss the 7 bucks a week, are they? However, they will enjoy above average wage increases and protection from the vagaries of their employer. Tell you what, why don’t we ask them? My offer stands; TS has my email, send them the details and I’ll sort out a visit.
Quartz as I thought..u are a text book warrior. Keep bludging
Te Reo you serious…why would I expose my business and make it a target of unions. Good greif. Tell you what tell me which union you will send first
haha what does this mean actually?
CV, Lombard St was where the British banks used to headquarter themselves back in the day. In essence, it’s saying the bet has lopsided odds.
Yes, what sort of industry are you in? I’ll find you the union most appropriate for the work you do. btw, its a tad odd that an expert on industrial relations. as you so surely are, doesn’t already know which union it would be.
Te Reo oh come on..unions cross pollinate across businesses and don’t have one union for one industry or business. It’s all about money and membership. Union delegates have membership targets just like police have traffic fines as targets.
And if the membership targets are missed the union just ramps up their fees.
So which union do you belong to and I tell you which industry
Yes, you really don’t know anything about unions, do you? Unions in NZ are very much industry based, (think PSA, Nurses and the 3 education unions) but, in the private sector the First Union, SFWU and EPMU cover more than one industry. Stop being a cowardly coward and be more specific. Then I can tell you which one is the most likely candidate.
btw, which union is irrelevant anyway; it’s the workers’ choice, not yours.
What…it’s who choice? It’s my choice that I decide to invest in NZ and invest in staff. It’s my choice that I put my assets and family time at risk to grow the wealth of this country. It’s my choice to employ or not.
Then I choose what to pay my staff and it’s my choice to follow the law of the land. It’s my choice to pay 35$ per hour. It’s my choice.
Now you can’t be serious that you think unions don’t cross pollinate across the sectors. So many unions don’t belong to the CTU because they don’t want to follow CTU membership and industry carve up.
Now which union do you represent
You’re quite scared now, aren’t you? The question is about unionising your workforce. Not your choice, theirs. Clearly, you don’t want that to happen, because, as you note ” a union would just add cost to my business”.
So put up or shut up, coward.
You don’t pay your staff $35 an hour. You pay yourself $35 an hour. They get less than that, and they have to put up with you acting like they owe you a favour for letting them work for you. No wonder they speak so badly of you.
Te Reo ok I will let you unionize my workplace and will follow union place collecTive agreements.
So here we go..starting hourly $20.00 for new employee plus plus ( e.g 40 hours max kiwisaver 6% ..5 weeks holiday. Good rates for office work.
Now you unionize I will have to cover all additional costs of paying unions fees, stop work meetings etc. So I will start all my new employees at minimum rates because I need to cover my unproductive time cause by unions.
So there’s your starting point
Quartz are you saying you know my company and staff? Or you just making stuff up.
All bow before the Holy Job Creator!
Yes
Please give this comment a quick look and tell me why we can’t do workers’ rights a lot better in NZ?
http://thestandard.org.nz/no-traffic-jam-on-the-high-road/#comment-652803
Your business may be run by a wonderfully (self-assessed) generous and decent employer, and you may have lots of happy well-rewarded staff who have a great work-life balance….. but this isn’t the reality for an increasing number of workers in NZ
I know you , yes.
“Te Reo ok I will let you unionize my workplace and will follow union place collecTive agreements.
So here we go..starting hourly $20.00 for new employee plus plus ( e.g 40 hours max kiwisaver 6% ..5 weeks holiday. Good rates for office work.
Now you unionize I will have to cover all additional costs of paying unions fees, stop work meetings etc. So I will start all my new employees at minimum rates because I need to cover my unproductive time cause by unions.
So there’s your starting point”
Oh deary me, you know so very little about industrial law or unions, Yes, that couldn’t even bring myself to laugh at your ignorance. Still, nice to see the Employer of the Year threatening to cut wages if workers exercise their freedom of choice. What a sad, fearful little man you are.
Te Reo..my argument was the cost of lost time…who pays for that..me
Quartz..you don’t know who I am and I am sure the owners of this site would be pretty peeved you making such statements
Yes, if your enterprise can’t cope with a few hours of downtime every year, you’re not the business genius you think you are. No go away and play with your money. You’ve embarrassed yourself enough for one day.
Te Reo will you keep bludging and taking money off union members to pay your union delegate high wages and life style. I will give my staff a 5% pay increase tomorrow and get them to sign a contract not to join a union.
And now we’re off to fantasy land. Are you sure you’re a boss? You come across as a junior sales rep brown-nosing the MD rather than the real thing. And, by the way, I didn’t say I worked for a union, I said I’d organise for the comrades to pop round and have a chat with your supposed workers. Still, I bet that if they existed they’d be chuffed to be getting a 5% rise because you made a fool of yourelf on teh interwebs. Union organising must be a piece of piss if all employers are as easily persuaded to part with their money as you are.
Fuck you’re a tosser and can’t even maintain a consistent coherent argument.
First unionisation will cost you, then it will come out of the workers pay rate, then you say your starting pay rate would become $20-00 per hour from $35-00 due to union costs when the costs wouldn’t be anywhere near that. You can’t even do sensible maths.
If you were a “good employer” you wouldn’t be afraid of your staff becoming unionised if they wanted to. You would be supportive of them because they wanted it. You would understand and support their legal right to do so and would happily negotiate with them. You would understand that your workers also have their lives and families invested in your business and not think that it was only you that had so. You would understand, as all modern business practise would tell you, that being supportive of your staff and their needs makes for increased productivity and lower turnover.
Your’re fearful rather than supportive – it would be interesting to know why.
For the record I also employ people and have a very good relationship with the union that represents my workers. I find the union useful for alerting me early about issues and helping resolve these and see the union as a valuable part of the organisation. We don’t always agree but then the same can be said for customers, suppliers and contractors. There is a degree of expertise, knowledge, skill and willingness to share power and information needed in resolving those issues.
Te Reo. At least you make me laugh. Keep bludging I will keep investing and you and your comrades have a beer thinking why 94% of working NZers don’t belong to unions…because they have great bosses and great employment and opportunities. Comrades lol…god so pathetic and quite frankly 1950 rubbish. Don’t retire lonely
Descendant of smith.. Do you own the company you employ or you just a line manager
I totally know you. You’re the guy who spends his Sunday on the internet lying about being a big shot.
….94% of working NZers don’t belong to unions…because they have great bosses and great employment and opportunities
Or because now those who aren’t in unionised workplaces only ever hear about what’s wrong with unions from their employers, and are likely to be concerned about being harrassed and harangued (and constructively dismissed) if they did want to join one perhaps?
“Union delegates have membership targets just like police have traffic fines as targets”
Oh fuck off Yes. How the hell did you think you could pull this conversation off when you don’t even know what a “union delegate” is.
Fucking idiot.
Quartz lol very funny….no actually I spent the morning in the office trying to increase cash-flow so I don’t have to make a staff redundant. And you what did you do today?
Guys under labour union membership decreased …why? Why why? Answer that..no one cares about unions
But but but I ha ve always supported Helen Kelly on health and safety.
Hey Yes, you’ve been exposed. you know nothing about the subject and no-one believes a word of what you say.
Give it up, get a new handle, and try again.
Descendant of smith…hmmm a line manager..your comment was so easy to pick as a line manager…beat you have been on corporate missin and vision strategy days and wear the company badge with honor. Break free and invest in your own skills and ability
Guys under labour union membership decreased …why? Why why? Answer that..no one cares about unions
Well in our case the union was unable to prevent massive restructuring due to downsizing to reduce the wage bill, and pay increases were only given to people who shifted to independent agreements. The atmosphere among the workers and management was positively toxic at times.
Arfarmo..sorry to hear but equally many industries have grown. I read a lot of economic data and to be honest while the manufacturing decline is true but not at the stated rates…the industry is losing it’s appeal and damaged by low wage economies. I have never understood why unions here set up offices in those countries and beat them up. NZ is doing just fine overall and quite frankly neither party would be as good as the other.
So here’s my challenge…unionizing workplaces will not improve anything nor will zero union work places.
Tell me how an end game can be legalized when unions and company don’t agree…because the public get effected and they don’t have any say. I am guessing but let’s say there was 600 employed at the port both union and management and between they destroyed our economy for 3 months.
What is the answer that doesn’t let 600 people destroy 27b industry.
I say legislate
Crikey, Yes – I wasn’t expecting that response. Um, yeah. Legislate. To make sure both parties are reasonable. So, that makes sense to me, but what do we legislate for? (You know, this sounds a bit like what we once had.)
Hey ‘Yes’, why do you keep lying with this ‘94% of people don’t belong to unions’ nonsense?
Unionisation is 20% of the employed workforce. 50% public sector, around 12% in the private sector.
CV
Blame the
port companyunion for playing brinksmanship using Auckland’s entire economy. Try and fuck your ownworkersemployer instead of valuing them, so why pretend to be surprised at the push back?I know, good faith is only expected from the employer by unions and only expected from the union by employers. Would be much easier if we had individual contracts rather than some outdated pre-industrial revolution concept of fighting the man ….
Of course the will of the workers to bargain collectively doesn’t come into it, eh burt?
It really took burt a day and a half to come up with that response? Man, he must be struggling.
Good to know you acknowledge the failure of compulsory unionism.
I didn’t.
You, on the other hand, appear to be opposed to voluntary association.
What a tewible wittle wibertawian you are.
@ Yes
“\\Interesting she said that in the act staff can work during a strike…will why dont unions allow it instead of calling people SCAB’s”.
What?? I think the flecks of spittle may be shorting out your keyboard there.
(To reply – if this is what you’re asking?), Unions oppose casualisation of work places as that impoverishes and endangers the workers there employed. Strikes in essential industries are regulated by law as regards; notice and duration, in return employers also have obligations. The Labour Party who oppose the bill are in contact with unions but not controlled by them. Calling someone a scab does not prevent someone from working (in fact, the way to become a scab is to Work; during a strike or lockout).
I have witnessed many examples of the discrimatory treatment of temp staff resulting from the trend to casualisation of the workforce, in factories and labouring roles; treated like dogs at times.
Um Yes it is a staff of 7 (the board and chief executive) that is holding up peoples lives. Not to mention pissing against the wall of tens of millions of dollars of ratepayers moneys in a vendetta to deunionise the site. Shame on them.
And big ups to Darien Fenton for clearly presenting the reality of the situation. Compared to Ross’s sloganeering and debasement of the English language she did well.
Umm 7 staff ridiculous..27b dollars of the customers and NZ wealth…that what the board was looking after including my exports. Poorly weighted argument.
It’s a perfect argument. It’s those 7 people who knackered the port and in a more just, democratic society, they’d have been sacked long ago. But they are protected from accountability by the structure of the port company; they have an almost unfettered right to commit economic treason.
and added to that “Yes”, the hopeless 7 also imposed a huge cost on ratepayers, significantly bigger than the reduction in Labour costs they were chasing. So from a business perspective their logic was screwy…they should be fired.
Lenslide.
And I’m sure that a lot of Aucklanders wanted to sack the bastards unfortunately this government, through the auspices of it’s bought and paid for subsidiary the Act Party, made it so that we couldn’t.
So let’s be clear POAL made a profit of $5.4 mill in 2009, $37.2 million in 2010, 23.3 million in 2011 and $24.9 million in 2012.
Operations were up, revenue was up, container volumes were up, debt levels reduced by $19 million and a dividend of $7.6 million paid to the council.
Despite all this POAL wanted to casualise the workforce and the workers quite rightly did not want to be casualised. They have families to support and mortgages to pay.
The justification for this was due to valuing the land highly as if it was residential and then placing an unrealistic expectation of a 12% rate of return on highly overvalued land.
This was not a business in financial difficulty or making anywhere near an operating loss.
The current business models are being gerrymandered to protect overvalued capital assets and right wing ideology with little consideration for workers incomes.
The industrial action was as a result of port management and Auckland council buying into that ideology. The industrial action arose purely as a result of poor management and the lockout compounded their poor management.
There was no valid operating reason to do this.
This fake bookkeeping bullshit of overvaluing land on the books to make rate of return look bad just pisses me off.
As does by the way undervaluing when it’s to be sold to developers and farmers so they can ate capital gains off it. This was done for instance with railway land before rail was sold and can be seen recently with the massive capital gains being made on South Island farmland.
http://www.poal.co.nz/news_media/2011_mediareleases/20110825_AnnualResult.htm
“Big ups for Darien Fenton for clearly representing the reality of the situation”.
Oh spare me! she’s a “f…..g” liar – pure and simple and, was caught out big time yesterday on TV.
“Rachel the Ports of Auckland was a ‘lockout’ by Management” – really Darien, what about the 4 weeks of strike action and picketing, before Management had a gutsful of the intimidation and threats from the union thugs and, locked the losers out.
Never let the facts get in the way of good lie!
It’s a funny way of losing when you go to court and win.
Wayne, check out the thread below where Dumrse gets done over trying to push the same feeble line . It was pretty embarrasing for him, and it’s equally embarrasing for you. To make it easy for you, there was limited strike action, then a lockout, then the dismissal of the workers. Fenton was correct to say it was a lockout, because, um, it was.
So the 4 weeks the workers withheld their labour was a……….lockout, really!!!!!
No, that was a strike. Did you miss the sentence where I laid out the sequence? Here it is again:
“To make it easy for you, there was limited strike action, then a lockout, then the dismissal of the workers.”
“Rachel the Ports of Auckland was a ‘lockout’ by Management” – really Darien, what about the 4 weeks of strike action and picketing, before Management had a gutsful of the intimidation and threats from the union thugs and, locked the losers out.
Never let the facts get in the way of good lie!”
Actually Wayne, what happened was the workers had a gutsful of the intimidation and bullying tactics from the management thugs and, so they lawfully protested and took them to court and won. But you obviously never let the facts get in the way of a good lie.
It looks like Jamie-Lee has been swiping ShonKey’s barrel of Smarm ™ brand aftershave (I guess the liquid teflon has got held up in the ports). Always ready with a glib answer to a question he’s talking over.
Darien Fenton by contrast seemed like an actual person; which is rare in a political interview.
Except Fenton bullshitted the Nation by lying and tell us the POAL was a lockout when it clearly spent most of its life as a STRIKE.
Oh don’t be a sore loser
The workers were fired, dumarse. That’s one step worse than a lockout.
Im hearing ya, at least you didn’t disagree she lied to the Nation.
Comprehension difficulties, dumarse? Firing them is locking them out.
Fenton didn’t lie to the Nation. The union served notice of time-limited strike action. The company issues notice of an indefinite lock-out.
The only lying I saw being done in that clip was by Ross. And he wasn’t doing it very well. Which is unsurprising given what a fucking moron he is. You’re not Ross are you dumbarse? I’m just asking because your names sound so very similar.
They went on fucking STRIKE so eventually got locked out. What bit dont you comprehend ?
Wow, nice of you to finally admit that they were locked out. Now apologise to Darien for getting it wrong and we can all move on.
Best of luck TRP, but Dumarse read it on failoil so that’s the line he’s sticking to.
Shame you can’t fucking read.
Best of luck TRP, but Dumarse read it on failoil so that’s the line he’s sticking to.
So this is the “whale army” I’ve heard so much about? Fail army more like…
Your girl Kelen Helly calls it a strike doesn’t she quartz ? Just in case you cant remember, have a read.
http://union.org.nz/news/2012/ports-auckland-strike-notice
HK called the strike a strike. It was short in duration and very specific in its affect. You, on the other hand, claimed the full industrial action, which included a strike, a lockout and then mass sackings, “clearly spent most of its life as a STRIKE.” And you were wrongitty wrong wrong wrong.
“So this is the “whale army” I’ve heard so much about? Fail army more like…”
It’s the “lose alliance”.
Whose fail oil?
Fuck off trool, you’re done.
Shame you pay lip service to the law then defend law-breaking employers. Stupid trash.
Haha, remember when whlale was touting POAs rock solid legal strategy?
“by lying and tell us the POAL was a lockout”
I can read, even when its written by a dumarse with a particularly blunt crayon.
I thought Jamie-Lee looked and sounded just like “Hymie” the Robot on “Get Smart”!! He doesn’t come across as a regular person, more like someone programmed by Bridges or Key!!
“The Prime Minister supports it”…well well well.
Mr Lee Ross, a boy with little life experience, no track record, few skills, one for the dole queue after next year.
Yes’ll hire him. He pays $35 an hour!
Come to think of it, they deserve each other.
My impression of the interview was that Rachel Smalley exposed herself as a mediocre, shallow journalist, made up in her face like a young girl not knowing a “healthy limit” of such, but apparently not asking the hard questions.
She does not seem to have read the Employment Relations Act, and possibly not even the bill that slimy Jami Lee (“Whale”-) Ross had drafted and presented on a mere 4 pages.
All she asked was about who would support it and who would likely not, hence just discussing power politics, dependent on lobbyist support. She did not even engage that arrogant “Botany Man” of a human species on the technical details, like that under present labour laws employers can in some cases (essential industries and else) get exempted from the requirement not to employ other workers to fill in for striking workers.
There were no questions re the fact that this bill would basically take the last remaining “weapon” of organised workers out of their hands, thus making unions totally uneffective and redundant.
There was no clear challenge re what the industrial dispute at Ports of Auckland was about, and that it was a lock-out.
So it took Darien Fenton to point all that out, and explain a few other things. I feel Darien could have done better too, and her acceptance that unions are not always right, and that Labour do at times talk with them in straight (or tough) language, was indirectly a positioning of Labour as not standing for the same the unions demand (which is nowadays rather basic, common sense and minimum standard stuff).
It shows that Darien follows the pack of the ABCers, to keep right of centre.
It was a lockout at Ports of Auckland, and what the employer did was in part later declared illegal by the courts, that should have been mentioned.
But Jami Lee got his run, little challenged by Smalley, about it all being about “fairness”, the “rights” of workers to “choose” to work, even when there is a strike.
All pretty weak and petty stuff presented to challenge that Jami Lee Ross, groomed by a Simon Lusk, as I understand it. Damned, more must be done to deal to such a cunning, union hating bastard!
‘made up in her face like a young girl not knowing a “healthy limit” of such’
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
Don’t even bother trying to figure it out. xtasy is a waste of space.
Waste of space is not commenting on the substance matter, but wasting time on side aspects of little relevance.
You’re of little relevance.
You of even less! You have nothing much to contribute with just throwing a few words and insults around at times, so address stuff of substance that I mentioned, also Fenton being a bit dodgy and two faced when talking about unions, for instance!
She wasn’t being two faced at all. Labour doesn’t always agree with labour and vice versa. Fact.
Don’t be a moron. Darien Fenton gave unreserved support for the port workers. It’s the strongest statement I’ve seen from a Labour politician yet. She also recognised that Labour and the unions are two wings of the same movement.
As for your problem, she was asked if Labour supports everything the unions say – of course she can’t commit to that. It’s a robust and dynamic movement and Labour and the unions will have differences of focus and priority. What she said reflected reality. If you think it would have been good for the party or the unions for her to say Labour does whatever the unions tell them then you’re on another planet.
Daveo – It was perhaps the way she said it, which was to me a bit too “gently, gently” and “mindful” (of our voters).
What do the unions expect and demand these days, that Labour cannot support and agree with?
NZ unions, apart from perhaps Unite Union, are generally rather “moderate” these days, and I am struggling to think of anything that is unreasonable that they do not ask for.
So why not make that clear, instead of distancing Labour from the unions in the words she chose?
Anyway, I take your point, and I agree Darien is of the more solid MPs that Labour have. With a fair few of the others (Sky City box attendees for instance), it does not take much to be so “strong” to support fairer labour laws.
Darien has a soundbite in which to describe the party’s relationship with the unions. Trying to broach a complex and historically loaded topic like that within those constraints and in that format is a recipe for disaster. She answered the question as well as she could be asked. Darien’s a solid unionist, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
Rachel Smalley can be a good interviewer. It was probably that producer talking in her ear, pushing Smalley to a particular line of questioning.
the ‘fail’ from smalley was when she asked the odious-one his justifications for the need for this legislation..
..and he quoted strike stats from eight fucken years ago..(!)
..and smalley just sat there..mute..and let him get away with it..
..never called him on it..
..i mean..journalism 101..?
..phillip ure..
Ross quoted the 2005 & 1999 stats to make a point about the impact of the last Labour government on the number of strikes.
My immediate thought was not that the date of the stats is a problem, but the use of relative numbers of strikes is a diversion. Ross was implying that more strikes mean the legal balance had been tipped too much in favour of unions by the Clark government.
However, the focus should be more on the behaviour of employers that result in unions going out on strike.
from memory..there were 19 strikes nationwide last year..
..(maybe why ross reached back 8 yrs..?..)
..and that was maybe the follow-up question smalley should have asked:..’how many strikes last yr?’..
..because ross’ spin/reach back to try and blame labour..was in response to smalley asking him for the evidence for the need for this/such legislation..
..i hope some other media-person gets to ask ross that question..
..surely he won’t just be allowed to get away with it..?
..surely not..?
(but i guess we can’t blame smalley entirely…the head of tv3 news the other day said that smalleys’ questions are written by the shows’ producers..she is just reading from a list/auto-cue..)
phillip ure..
..because ross’ spin/reach back to try and blame labour..was in response to smalley asking him for the evidence for the need for this/such legislation..
Smalley began the interview, and thereby framing it by saying that some employers says Ross’s bill could jeopardise 10 years of harmonious industrial relations. Smallye actually spent a fair bit of the beginning of the issue citing reasons to oppose it.
Ross seemed to accept that industrial relations had been relatively harmonious in recent years, and this is supported by stats nz’ graph here, with a spike in 2005 and a decline since then. Ross’s argument was that, come better economic times, unless the law was changed, unions would start striking more.
The problem with that is, Ross is blaming both the Labour government & good economic times on the rise in strikes.
But to me, this issue is about whether the employer behaviour is the cause of strikes,
Actually, looking at that graph, the drop in strikes has been since the mid-80s. And this may mean that employers have been getting away with anti-worker practices since then.
Many collective contracts these days are for two or three years before they are due for renegotiation and given you can’t strike unless at the expiry of a contract I suspect that there will be quiet years and less quiet years.
It should be somewhat predictable which years might have higher rates of industrial action by collective contract expiry years.
A table showing this might be quite interesting to see.
What struck me about Fenton was her not giving a straight answer when she was asked if she considered POAL was a bad employer. A straight “yes” would have been sufficient. Winston seems to be the only politician who can give a one word answer, even when more is obviously superfluous.
And as for yes above – it’s all about him/her. It doesn’t seem to have entered it’s head that the workers might actually have an opinion. I’d say that as far as employers go, it’s like the manager from The Office.
National are constantly repeating that they are “Centre Right”, very worried about been labelled extreme Right Wing
National may be using Jamie Lee Ross’s bill to distract voters from the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, while National may eventually reject JLR Bill to look reasonable while the Employment Relations Amendment Bill is passed.
National are hopeless but they are cunning.
Yup, the Nact “reduce and season to taste” method of introducing policy.
http://whoar.co.nz/2013/the-nation-a-review-see-dunne-duck-see-dunne-weave/
(excerpt:..)
“….next up is the odious-oink face of national..the far-right/lusk-acolyte jamie lee ross..
..where he pimps his union-smashing bill..
..of interest is his confession that he ‘talked with the ports of auckland’ before drafting his private members’ bill..
..and of much hilarity is his claim that he is ‘centre-right’..(the same bullshit key tries to spin)..
..whereas ross is the ugly/tooth’ n claw/fuck-the-poor face of the extreme right..
..a key member of the far-right ginger-group within national..those trying to drag national even further to the right..
..(ed:..i’m sure ross has a bill in draft form to reintroduce ‘the poor-house’..)
..and ross is actually so slimy/odious..you need to wipe down yr monitor-screen after he has been on..”
phillip ure..
It is an interesting point for me, why is it that those who seek (by whatever means) to limit our freedom and rights in NZ, look so ugly and self possessed?
One for the research I think, but where to look for the question?
I dunno, Michael Laws seems to think he’s an absolute Adonis.
with ross..just look into his eyes..!..f.f.s..!
.(and when he attempts his rictus-smile..it is even more nerve-wracking..)
..and were i a shape-shifting-lizard-person conspiracist..
..i would have him on a short-listed watchlist..
..phillip ure