And now, some good news

Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, October 23rd, 2012 - 8 comments
Categories: Unions, wages - Tags:

Union members are the ones who win decent wages and conditions for everyone. And the good news is union membership is increasing, despite rising unemployment. So much for the Right’s attempt to frame workers who stand up for themselves and their families as a dying breed.

When you dig down, you can see quite clearly the impact that the manufacturing crisis has had – while membership has been rising in other sectors, it is falling in the manufacturing unions because so many of their members are being laid off and leaving for Australia.

8 comments on “And now, some good news ”

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  1. the pink postman 1
    23 October 2012 at 2:16 pm

    I have always believed that union membership should be compulsory . If not ,only union members should enjoy the benifits unions win.Even a small rise in membership is good news.

    • infused 1.1
      23 October 2012 at 7:43 pm

      hah wow. No thanks.

      • McFlock 1.1.1
        23 October 2012 at 7:56 pm

        Do you not want to join a union, or do you merely not want to give up the advantages that are the products of union members’ work?

    • Georgecom 1.2
      23 October 2012 at 8:13 pm

      I don’t believe it should be compulsory. Voluntary unionism ensures that unions have to learn to organise to get results rather than rely on a large legal prop.

      However, the clear and unambiguous legal ability to keep negotiated increases to union members only is something that the left and right broadly agrees with, as I do. The right wingers talks about ‘user pays’ and ‘property rights’ etc so they will support a law that keeps negotiated benefits away from workers who choose not to join the union.

      • McFlock 1.2.1
        23 October 2012 at 8:19 pm

        yeah, you’d think.
                 
        But I don’t see National stopping non-members freeloading off workers’ awards any time soon. It would make joining a union too attractive and piss off the fief lords.

  2. millsy 2
    23 October 2012 at 9:39 pm

    I wouldnt mind joining a union if I could, the negotiation of good wages and conditions appeal, but more so the fact that if I get hauled over the coals by management (something that happens a tiny bit too often), there is always someone in my corner.

    Though it wont happen. There is (a) no union for office workers, (b) the people at my work are indifferent at best to unions, and (c) the company is not really keen on unions. One lady who worked there had been pretty high up in the CTU/PSA in her past lives, and was bounced out after a long period of being picked on.

    I dont think union membership should be cumpolsory either. A lot of people arent keen on them, especially those holier-than-thou independent contractors who think everyone should be one.

    • fatty 2.1
      23 October 2012 at 9:48 pm

      Can’t you join unite?…it appears that the reasons you give for not joining a union are really the reasons why you need to.
      But I know what you’re saying…NZ is a place that sees unions as a burden

  3. asd 3
    23 October 2012 at 11:23 pm

    It should be compulsory especially for all the young, naive workers that are paid a pittance at Pak ‘N’ Save, New World and Foodstuffs. That company and their cohorts are just nasty. If they want a war about this I’m ready and loaded.

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