equality

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Caregivers in equal pay spotlight

Written By: - Date published: 11:23 pm, June 24th, 2013 - 22 comments

John Ryall writes on the case of long-term caregiver Kristine Bartlett who took a landmark case to the Employment court this morning. It is on the application of the Equal Pay Act 1972 into gender segmented work. Hopefully this will help reduce the lack of progress on closing our male-female wage gap.

Should a country be run like a business?

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, June 22nd, 2013 - 102 comments

Many business people say that a country should be run like a business. Maybe they are right. It should be run like a SUCCESSFUL business. It is appropriate for Government to take lessons from business success, and the reverse. But when it comes down to details, right wing Neo-Liberal business do not want Government and country they govern to become too successful or democratic…

The Blame Game.

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, June 20th, 2013 - 84 comments

Blame beneficiaries, blame the young, blame the old, blame the boomers, blame Maori, blame Pakeha,  blame granny, hell, why don’t we just blame the Jews! Anything except place the blame where it belongs. On successive Governments who have sold us out to the rich, and offshore corporates. And the system which allows a few stupid […]

Slane sums up

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, June 8th, 2013 - 108 comments

slane-left-right300

Strikes: One Law for All

Written By: - Date published: 10:09 pm, April 26th, 2013 - 28 comments

National’s  Labour laws announced today have new sanctions on workers’ strikes: parties will have to provide notice of a strike, and employers will have a new right to fine workers for “partial strikes.” Also today the Herald’s Insider  reports business reaction to Labour’s NZPower and invokes the threat of capital strike,  posed as a threat to an elected government’s right to govern. If Simon Bridges wants to see fairness,  then capital strikes by business should surely face the same constraints as worker strikes.

Massive changes to employment legislation announced today

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, April 26th, 2013 - 139 comments

The changes announced today to employment law represent the most serious attack on the rights of working people to a fair go since 1991. As I wrote on this blog that the Bill will reduce the Employment Relations Act to a farce and the result will be wages are driven down and employment agreements broken […]

Power profits and the consumer

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 pm, April 22nd, 2013 - 16 comments

New Zealand’s energy pricing over the last twenty years was thoroughly canvassed by Dr Geoff Bertram last year in a paper presented to the Fabian Society as part of its “Light-handed Regulation” series.  In the light of the Labour/Greens’ announcement last week about NZ Power his paper is well worth a read.

Friday afternoon graph porn

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, April 19th, 2013 - 28 comments

tax evasion vs benefit fraud

How austerity is destroying Britain… coming soon near you

Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, April 1st, 2013 - 79 comments

A raft of Tory policies have been dismantling the British welfare state: bedroom tax, privatising the NHS: NZ’s NAct government is following the same pattern of slyly changing small things, adding up to major changes that are ultimately socially & economically destructive.

Inequality: even Treasury cares…

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, February 16th, 2013 - 64 comments

There’s a book I’ve heard about that I’m hoping helps push the inequality awareness barrow a little further this year.

Government report card: poverty, jobs, housing – FAIL!

Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, February 13th, 2013 - 22 comments

The Salavation Army “State of the Nation” report is out today, and, as Metiria Turei says, it makes depressing reading.  It describes a nation of increasing inequalities, with those on low incomes, and their children, being hit particularly hard.

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 11:12 am, February 3rd, 2013 - 5 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere.  This week: Economics, inequality, privacy-destroying drones and citizen responsibilities.

Charter Schools: A failed idea

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, January 17th, 2013 - 36 comments

Submissions for the Education Amendment Bill 2012 (includes Charter Schools) close on 24 January.  The PPTA reminds us that Charter Schools are a failed idea.  Even Treasury documents show they are a bad idea.

I wish it could be Xmas every day…

Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, December 21st, 2012 - 27 comments

… then maybe more attention would be given to increasing numbers of people struggling to get the necessities of life. Record queues outside Auckland’s City Mission. The Brighter Future never comes. Revisit The Spirit Level.

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, November 25th, 2012 - 14 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere. This week: politicians, economies, elections, feminism and climate change.

Gender, politics & NZ LP conference 2012

Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, November 22nd, 2012 - 140 comments

The Labour Party are giving serious attention to the unacceptable gender inequalities in MP numbers and in pay.  The Greens are leading in tackling the underlying masculine framework of politics and employment, and, along with Mana, unpaid work.

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, November 4th, 2012 - 1 comment

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. This week: inequality, language on social media, and feminism.

Shifting ground: PPL

Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, October 24th, 2012 - 27 comments

The government is vulnerable around Sue Moroney’s Paid Parental Leave Bill.  The Nats don’t want it to pass, but they risk losing support from women.  A government veto of an entire Bill is on experimental ground, and Bill English has shifted his reasons for not supporting the Bill. Updates: BusinessNZ submission

National Day of action against Bennett’s welfare reforms

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, October 5th, 2012 - 128 comments

Today there have been protests around NZ, against Paula Bennett’s punitive welfare reforms.

Updates: Include ODT article link and extract, photos of Henderson protest, and links to several news articles.

The conservative’s nightmare

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 31st, 2012 - 51 comments

Soon, a 18-year old gay man will be able to get married and, then, celebrate by having a drink. If Jacinda Ardern’s Bill passes, he’ll be able to adopt his husband’s child. And, if David Clark’s Bill passes – he can then earn $15 an hour at his minimum wage job! It really is the conservative’s nightmare at the moment. I’m loving it.

Marriage Equality and other bills

Written By: - Date published: 9:55 pm, August 29th, 2012 - 51 comments

It’s Members Night in Parliament and the Marriage Equality Bill has passed its first reading. Future Asset Sales have not been entrenched however and National are currently arguing against raising the minimum wage.

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, August 26th, 2012 - 60 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring).  This week: Rape, US attitudes to inequality, and, idle or vulnerable?

Child hardship rise a “bloody disgrace”

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, August 24th, 2012 - 60 comments

David Shearer is right. The rise in inequality under National, shown by the latest Household Incomes report from MSD, is a bloody disgrace. Good on Shearer for his robust and instinctive response. Now we look forward to seeing it reflected in the outcomes from the policy work that is going on behind the scenes.

National’s achievement: Highest ever inequality

Written By: - Date published: 12:55 pm, August 23rd, 2012 - 50 comments

The exodus to Australia is at record levels. Falling wages have seen social inequality rise to record levels. Good job National.

10 Jacks are as good as their master

Written By: - Date published: 6:43 am, August 21st, 2012 - 128 comments

Compare the latest figures on CEO pay to the median income of New Zealanders and to the minimum wage. The average CEO gets 10 times the pay of a full-time minimum wage worker or the income of the typical Kiwi. The gap is growing. The CEO pay increase was 26 times the median income increase, 56 times what a full-time minimum wage earner got. Does anyone think this is a recipe for a happy and successful New Zealand?

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, July 22nd, 2012 - 6 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring).  This week: The Olympics, some interesting science on inequality and performance pay, and what does history look like when it’s not the propaganda of the victor?

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, July 15th, 2012 - 5 comments

I’m going to try and put up a piece each Sunday of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring).  This week: the bread & butter line, bankers, racism and the corporate speak of John Key.

Sunday reading

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, June 3rd, 2012 - 12 comments

Last week I put up some Sunday reading – longer, thoughtful pieces I’d found.  I liked that other people also put up their links, with some very interesting topics.  So I thought I might make it a regular feature.  I’d put up a couple of interesting things that I’d come across in the week, and other people could share their links.

Sunday reading

Written By: - Date published: 12:48 pm, May 27th, 2012 - 8 comments

A couple of good BBC articles: what have the Romans done for us? and can we have a society that doesn’t depend on us becoming ill with our fatness? And Kim Hill’s excellent interviewee Steve Keen.

Austerity will increase inequality

Written By: - Date published: 10:12 am, May 18th, 2012 - 42 comments

Austerity is reducing the opportunities for social mobility, for reducing income inequality, for a fair society.  The increased class sizes, the removal of Adult and Community Education, the removal of Training Allowances, and many more things National are doing in the name of “austerity” are undermining our society.

The lucky ticket

Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, April 24th, 2012 - 52 comments

By popular acclaim we’re putting this comment by rosy up as a Guest Post. Rosy describes success in life by analogy to winning various divisions of lotto…