workers’ rights

Categories under workers’ rights

When immigration means exploitation

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 15th, 2017 - 37 comments

Those arguing for unrestricted immigration are – wittingly or unwittingly – fueling higher levels of exploitation in NZ.

Fabian seminar tonight: What would a people’s Budget look like?

Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, June 14th, 2017 - 5 comments

Something to check out if you are in Auckland tonight, the CTU’s Bill Rosenberg discusses the budget. He will “examine the Government’s priorities and look at what needs to be done”.

English on our low wage growth

Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, May 30th, 2017 - 40 comments

Bill English knows that our low wage economy is a ticking time-bomb for the government. He must be starting to get worried. The repeated promises of jam tomorrow are well worn out now.

Government was advised the Accommodation Supplement increase will not work

Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, May 29th, 2017 - 70 comments

Radio New Zealand has reported that the Government ignored two year old treasury advice to implement the increase in the accommodation supplement.

Tipping vs fair wages

Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, May 24th, 2017 - 39 comments

I don’t know of a single piece written in support of Bennett’s proposal. She has been in the bubble too long, and lost touch with the values of NZ.

Nats deny women pay equity transparency

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, May 11th, 2017 - 44 comments

As usual National proves itself to be no friend of women. They have voted the Equal Pay Amendment Bill down because they will always choose employers over people.

The case for higher wages

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, April 26th, 2017 - 31 comments

In the warm afterglow of the huge wage increase for health care workers the case for addressing NZ’s creaking low-wage economy is getting some recognition (along with the effect of immigration on wages).

Restaurant Brand Workers strike

Written By: - Date published: 5:54 pm, April 21st, 2017 - 34 comments

Restaurant Brands, the company that made $26 million last year and paid its chief executive a bonus of $1 million but cannot afford to pay its workers any more than the minimum wage, is facing industrial action tomorrow.

National’s short lived status as a supporter of pay equity

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, April 21st, 2017 - 25 comments

The day after Kristine Bartlett’s and the SFWU’s well deserved pay equity victory the Government has released for consultation draft legislation the effect of which would be to stop similar victories occurring in the future.

Missing voices

Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, April 20th, 2017 - 39 comments

Former Trump supporter speaks Her Truth

 

Why National had to settle the Pay Equity case

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, April 19th, 2017 - 45 comments

National is trying to give the impression that it settled the pay equity case out of the goodness of its heart.  The reality is that the Unions forced it to settle through gritted teeth.

Thank you health care workers

Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, April 18th, 2017 - 30 comments

This is a huge victory for health care workers, and for women. It is also a huge victory for “resurgent unions”. Will it alarm the private sector? I certainly hope so!

(Kristine Bartlett, photo Herald Mark Mitchell)

Canada

Written By: - Date published: 3:18 pm, April 14th, 2017 - 20 comments

Every once in a while, an administration that doesn’t check it’s collective brain out at the door assumes office. That may be the case with Canada’s current government.

Dear Izzy

Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, March 15th, 2017 - 27 comments

Married couple, increase after tax $8.36 a fortnight each or $4.18 each a week!!!!! Disposable Income, 0.5971428 each a day !!!! Goes up on April 1st, how the hell did they arrive at this sum?

I find out.

2040? The robots will have taken over

Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, March 8th, 2017 - 53 comments

Bill English’s new super plan falls between 2 stools. The super cost crisis that he’s trying to summon up, is before 2040 if it exists. The solution was the Cullen Fund. By 2040 you’re just adding yet another Baby Boomer cost onto GenX and the millenials, and there’s going to be a shortage of jobs anyway, without adding 65 & 66 year-olds to our dole queues.

The gender pay gap – grandstanding but no action

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, March 8th, 2017 - 73 comments

A new report has some really interesting findings on the gender pay gap. Paula Bennett engaged in a bit of grandstanding, but it rings completely hollow given National’s history on the issue.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Social investment meets the surveillance state

Written By: - Date published: 11:14 pm, March 4th, 2017 - 47 comments

First they came for the budgeting services. Now we know that every social service agency  has to provide clients’ private personal data to the Ministry of Social Development or get no funding. Apparently it’s  essential to Bill English’s much-touted and little understood “social investment” strategy, which is sounding more like something out of Orwell’s 1984. […]

Pike River facts laid out

Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, February 26th, 2017 - 10 comments

An excellent piece by Pike River mum, Sonya Rockhouse, in today’s Sunday Star-Times. The full article is here, but here are some of the most important points…

Living wage rises to $20.20 an hour

Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, February 21st, 2017 - 30 comments

The living wage rises, and an odd argument for abolishing the minimum wage.

Cadburys Dunedin to close with hundreds of jobs lost

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, February 16th, 2017 - 121 comments

Another blow to Dunedin.

Is this the impossibility turning point?

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, February 14th, 2017 - 49 comments

There’s a wonderful fiction still propelling the world that the 21st century will bring an ever-expanding arc of freedom and prosperity to the vast majority of humanity but the reality seems to be anything but.

Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu

Written By: - Date published: 5:52 pm, February 12th, 2017 - 150 comments

The former Police Association president has been confirmed as a Labour’s candidate for Wellington’s Ōhāriu electorate.

29 lives lost. No justice for their families.

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, February 8th, 2017 - 13 comments

Solid Energy trucks have refused to cross the picket line at Pike River this morning after the families set up effigies of their dead men.

Willie on the unions

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 pm, February 6th, 2017 - 201 comments

“Matt McCarten is one to watch. He’s developing his union. I don’t have much time for [the established unions]. I hope my mate Matt destroys them.” – 2005 – link

Minimum wage increase doesn’t meet real costs (the CPI is broken)

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, January 25th, 2017 - 53 comments

Any increase in the minimum wage is better than nothing, but National’s increases have not kept pace with the real cost increases (notably housing) faced by low income earners. That is why we are seeing the rise of the working poor, and increases in homelessness and poverty.

Andrew Little: Together, we will fight for justice for Pike families

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, January 21st, 2017 - 105 comments

I want justice for the families of the worst workplace tragedy in decades. If New Zealanders choose to change the Government this year, Pike will be a priority in my first hundred days as Prime Minister.

The St Johns Industrial Dispute – #HealthyAmbosSaveLives

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, January 7th, 2017 - 51 comments

St Johns is one of the first organisations to use new Industrial powers brought in by the Government and is attempting to refuse to negotiate with First Union and is docking workers pay for wearing a campaign t-shirt.

New Zealander of the year

Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, January 1st, 2017 - 42 comments

The Herald has managed to overlook choosing Helen Kelly as its New Zealander of the year.

Expert report shows urgent need for Pike River re-entry discussions

Written By: - Date published: 3:47 pm, December 13th, 2016 - 48 comments

The Pike River families have presented expert reports at Parliament today to establish the mine is safe to re-enter.

Stand With Pike: You shall not pass

Written By: - Date published: 9:24 pm, December 11th, 2016 - 86 comments

Newshub has revealed the attempt to seal Pike River mine is now facing both legal, and physical, roadblocks.

“They’re about to pour concrete on my son’s grave” – Campbell on #StandWithPike

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 pm, December 2nd, 2016 - 39 comments

Heartbreaking stories from the picket line down at the West Coast.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.