workers’ rights
Categories under workers’ rights
- health and safety (156)
- unemployment (251)
- Unions (427)
- wages (502)
What have Unions ever done for freeloaders?
Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, June 16th, 2019 - 198 comments
Two teachers who support individual contracts and performance pay are upset that they are not going to immediately get the benefit the Teachers Unions negotiated for their members.
The Teachers’ strike
Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, June 6th, 2019 - 77 comments
Teaching is approaching a crisis point. Sure it has taken 9 years of the last Government’s rule to wreck the system. But this Government is expected to repair quickly the damage that the last Government caused.
Parliament’s culture
Written By: - Date published: 12:24 pm, May 22nd, 2019 - 128 comments
The report into Parliament’s workplace culture has described behaviour that is of major concern.
The hard change of forestry
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, May 18th, 2019 - 98 comments
Forestry is forcing an important tilting point between mitigating climate change and land use, and it’s going to affect the viability of some North Island towns.
This Could Happen To You
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 6th, 2019 - 58 comments
For some reason, this story struck a nerve. An 80-year old had his 59-year career terminated by an impersonal e-mail from a faceless manager. Ironically, the manager on his public LinkedIn profile likes a post entitled “Treat a janitor with the same respect as the CEO”. Isn’t it sad that we now treat people as […]
Pike River re-entry delayed
Written By: - Date published: 10:53 am, May 3rd, 2019 - 51 comments
Re-entry to the Pike River mine has been delayed so that a high oxygen reading from within the mine can be understood.
May Day
Written By: - Date published: 11:49 am, May 1st, 2019 - 9 comments
Press release from the NZCTU celebrating May day and noting imminent changes to employment laws.
Slushiegate
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, April 29th, 2019 - 101 comments
Simon Bridges has decided to attack Corrections management for installing slushie machines designed to help cool prison guards in full uniform and heavy stab proof vests on hot days.
The benefits of a Labour led Government
Written By: - Date published: 12:18 pm, April 1st, 2019 - 67 comments
Today marks the day that the largest ever increase in the minimum wage will occur.
National’s Maggie Barry problem
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, March 3rd, 2019 - 25 comments
The Herald has reported that there has been concerns at Maggie Barry’s behaviour towards staff has been raised on three separate occasions. And Parliamentary Services is at the suggestion of the Auditor General investigating claims of misuse of Parliamentary Services resources.
The handling of Pike River evidence was diabolical
Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, February 21st, 2019 - 30 comments
The Pike River families have released an internal police document describing the handling of evidence from the crime scene as diabolical.
Lock ’em Up!?
Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, February 18th, 2019 - 15 comments
Unionist and former MP Darien Fenton takes issue with a major weakness in our law. That’s the ability of guilty bosses to just ignore the rulings of the Employment Court. Can’t pay? Won’t pay!
Pike River mine evidence went missing
Written By: - Date published: 7:52 am, February 18th, 2019 - 74 comments
It has been alleged that a potentially vital piece of evidence in the Pike River mine fatality that may show the cause of the explosion may have gone missing.
Herald and Du Plessis-Allan present compelling argument in favour of industry wide bargaining
Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, February 4th, 2019 - 26 comments
Heather Du Plessis-Allan has written as compelling an article in favour of the the Government’s proposed industry wide negotiations as you could ever think possible.
Westpac becomes accredited living wage employer
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, February 1st, 2019 - 33 comments
Westpac Bank has agreed to become an accredited living wage employer which means that its contractors as well as its staff are to be paid a living wage.
Fair Pay Agreements
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, January 31st, 2019 - 36 comments
The Working Group on Wage Bargaining reform has reported back. Good news for the working poor, bad news for the filthy rich.
Beware the Ides of May
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 pm, January 15th, 2019 - 41 comments
It’s D Day for Theresa May’s Brexit plan. Will Jeremy Corbyn finally put her out of our misery?
Cops ♥ Chases
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 pm, January 14th, 2019 - 215 comments
The common factor in Police chases is adrenaline fueled driving. And not just by the kid in the stolen car. The Police strategy of chasing stolen cars is a bigger problem than the thefts themselves and it needs to stop. Now.
Legalize it!
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, January 12th, 2019 - 51 comments
A new poll shows solid support for legalising cannabis. Is the 2020 referendum a done deal?
Mood of the workforce shows urgent need for change
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, January 8th, 2019 - 81 comments
The CTU has released the results of its recent cost of living and income survey. The results suggest that urgent change is needed.
Public Service meltdown
Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, December 21st, 2018 - 55 comments
How much Wellington-political-economy damage can the Government sustain while pushing reform across so many Ministries?
Unhappy Gilmore loses to well known Union Socialist lawyer
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, December 18th, 2018 - 22 comments
Former National MP and in his imagination potentially the next Prime Minister Aaron Gilmore has reached the headlines for not paying compensation to a former employee of his company as agreed and for describing her lawyer as a well known union socialist.
Let it Be
Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, December 12th, 2018 - 56 comments
Letting fees are a thing of the past. Labour’s Phil Twyford has outlawed the practice of charging tenants an upfront fee for a non existent service. It’s about fairness and it’s about time.
The Air New Zealand Industrial dispute
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, December 11th, 2018 - 53 comments
Air New Zealand has provoked industrial action from its workers by trying to wind back wages and conditions at a time it is making near record profits.
Child poverty reduction
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 5th, 2018 - 65 comments
It’s likely that Labour’s new Child Poverty Reduction Bill will get through its third reading by the end of this year.
Jesse Mulligan deserves a medal
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, December 4th, 2018 - 24 comments
Maggie Barry is facing fresh allegations of staff bullying. And Jesse Mulligan has responded to her criticism of him by saying it shows he was doing his job properly.
National wants there to be no unions
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, November 30th, 2018 - 76 comments
Dan Bidois this week in Parliament confirmed what we have always known, that National want there to be no unions around.
Employment Law Changes; A Win for the Workers
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, November 28th, 2018 - 40 comments
The Labour Party sponsored amendments to the Employment Relations Act are a step closer to becoming law. That’s a good thing for working people and a good thing for coalition politics.
Go Bus Lockout; Hypocrites Ngai Tahu and Tainui Screw Workers
Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, November 19th, 2018 - 70 comments
Ngai Tahu and Tainui remind us that they like exploiting working people as much as the next capitalist. They’ve locked out their Waikato bus drivers for asking to be paid the Living Wage.
Will Andrew Little be responsible if the Pike River mine gets hit by a meteor?
Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, November 18th, 2018 - 102 comments
Stacy Kirk has made the outlandish claim that Andrew Little is prepared to risk someone’s life in his desire to have the Pike River mine properly investigated.
Pike River; Victory For the Families, Victory for Us
Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, November 14th, 2018 - 121 comments
Pike River mine is to be re-entered and finally the truth will be told. Victory for the 29 is victory for all of us.
- ‘I’m very happy about that’: Frankie Stevens on being the voice of Christmas
New Zealand’s ‘Godfather of Christmas’ looks back on his life in TV and music. When The Spinoff reaches Frankie Stevens, he’s in a festive mood. Christmas is barely two weeks away, and he’s riding the high of having emceed his local Waverley Summer Christmas Jam last Sunday while also looking ...5 days ago - ‘A great song is one you can dance and cry to’: Elliott Dawson’s perfect weekend playlist
Art rock singer-songwriter Elliott Dawson shares his perfect weekend playlist. It’s nighttime in the world of Pōneke-based musician Elliott Dawson, the perfect period for introspection, stargazing and letting the singer serenade you in dim light. “I’m talking about that 20-30 minute period after the sun has gone below the horizon ...5 days ago
- Wasteland: A response to a university restructure
This essay is the joint winner of this year’s Landfall Essay Competition and was first published in Landfall 248: Spring 2024. “What is most distinctive, and perhaps distinctively valuable, about what universities do is precisely what cannot be captured by the metrics societies increasingly use to measure value.” – Stefan ...5 days ago
- A love letter to my five friends
After nearly 50 years of friendship, Venetia Sherson thanks her inner circle. Over a decade ago, when British anthropologist Robin Dunbar deduced humans typically have 150 friends, of whom just five are intimate, I did a head count. My inner circle aced the test. I have five close women friends ...5 days ago
- RSF says global attacks on journalists ‘alarming’, Gaza ‘most dangerous’ and seeks ‘urgent...
Pacific Media Watch The global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has revealed an “alarming intensification of attacks on journalists” in its 2024 annual roundup — especially in conflict zones such as Gaza. Gaza stands out as the “most dangerous” region in the world, with the highest number of ...6 days ago - Report card shows some mental health services hit targets, others fall short
There is "still work to do" around getting people timely treatment when they go to ED for mental health. ...6 days ago - Eugene Doyle: The dismemberment of Syria is a crime
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle What we are witnessing is not just the end of a regime but quite possibly the destruction of the Syrian state. We are being told by the Western media that we should join Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe ...6 days ago
- No plans for scaling back of Whangārei’s hospital redevelopment
Health Minister Shane Reti says stage one is still on budget and on track to be completed by 2031. ...6 days ago
- The Coalition reveals the cost of its nuclear power plan – but the devil is in the missing detail
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Longden, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University The Coalition has released long-awaited detail on its nuclear energy policy, claiming its plan to build seven nuclear power stations would be A$263 billion cheaper than Labor’s renewables-only approach. The figures ...6 days ago
- What is the drug captagon and how is it linked to Syria’s fallen Assad regime?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Lee, Adjunct Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne based), Curtin University After the fall of the al-Assad regime in Syria, large stockpiles of the illicit drug captagon have reportedly been uncovered. The stockpiles, found by Syrian rebels, are ...6 days ago
- Te Tiriti: The history and implications of the Treaty Principles Bill
By Te Aniwaniwa Paterson of Te Ao Māori News Activist/educator Tina Ngata (Ngati Porou) has warned proposed changes to Aotearoa New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi principles would undermine indigenous Māori sovereignty, rights, and protections, and risk corporate exploitation and environmental harm. Ngata is a member of Koekoeā, a tāngata whenua ...6 days ago
- Govt’s cuts to contractor and consultant spending ahead of schedule
The government says it is well ahead of its target to cut contractor and consultant spending. ...6 days ago
- Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill officially put on hold
The government has put legislation that would force tech giants to pay media companies for journalism on hold. ...6 days ago
- Teenage prodigy Gukesh D defeats Ding Liren to become youngest world chess champion
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smerdon, Assistant Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Eighteen-year-old Indian prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju has become the new world chess champion, winning the final game of the title match after a dramatic blunder from the reigning champ, China’s Ding Liren. ...6 days ago
- Naughty, often naked, deeply wild: F Christmas is a joyous gift at the time we need it most
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Austin, Senior Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne Gregory Lorenzutti/Malthouse Theatre There are many great traditions of Christmas performances, mostly European and American in origin, where the occurrence of Christmas in deep winter means it is more likely that ...6 days ago
- A new treaty could prevent some misappropriation of Māori and Indigenous design – and shouldn’t...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica C Lai, Professor of Commercial Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington From patents relating to mānuka, fake Māori souvenirs being sold in Aotearoa New Zealand, or the use of Māori designs on bedspreads sold online, the misappropriation and ...6 days ago
- Health New Zealand cuts: 569 staff take voluntary redundancy
Almost 600 staff have taken voluntary redundancy in job cut proposals laid out to staff today, it has been confirmed. ...6 days ago
- New three-strikes regime passed into law
The Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill was among a raft of legislation debated under urgency on Thursday. ...6 days ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Cash register ding’ by Eliana Gray
A new poem by Eliana Gray. Cash register ding If the price of rigidity is fracture The price of flexibility is bent over backwards sleeping on couches seeding twice a day paracetamol The price of pressure to leave an imprint like the price of new mountains is the destruction of ...6 days ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending December 13
The 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 Understanding Te Tiriti by Roimata Smail (Wai Ako Press, $25) The little book that made ...6 days ago
- New laws to protect ground-based space infrastructure from foreign spies
Laws will be introduced to stop foreign military or intelligence interference in radar and other space infrastructure being built here. ...6 days ago
- Industry supportive of government’s planned KiwiSaver changes
The government wants to loosen the rules to allow KiwiSaver funds to invest in private assets, housing and infrastructure projects. ...6 days ago
- Tech companies claim AI can recognise human emotions. But the science doesn’t stack up
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Sheard, Researcher and Lawyer, La Trobe University Master1305/Shutterstock Can artificial intelligence (AI) tell whether you’re happy, sad, angry or frustrated? According to technology companies that offer AI-enabled emotion recognition software, the answer to this question is yes. But ...6 days ago
- How is the Big Bash League faring after 14 years of ups and downs – and what’s next?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney The 14th season of Australia’s major domestic men’s Twenty20 (T20) cricket competition, the Big Bash League (BBL), starts on Sunday. Its rise is probably the biggest change in Australian cricket ...6 days ago
- New Mental Health Act a ‘potentially wasted opportunity’ – healthcare professional...
A group of mental health professionals say the new bill is just "the old act, with some new lipstick". ...6 days ago
- Fungal cream wins full funding from Pharmac
Pharmac will next year fully fund a cream to treat fungal skin infections which it says will benefit almost 800 people. ...6 days ago
- Government agrees to toll three new highways being built in the North Island
The new highways in the North Island will become the first new toll roads in years. ...6 days ago
- Been drinking and your heart’s fluttering? You may have ‘holiday heart’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caleb Ferguson, Professor of Nursing and Director of Health Innovations, University of Wollongong Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock It’s the time of year for workplace Christmas parties, and gatherings with family and friends. Maybe you’ll drink a lot in one go. Then you feel ...6 days ago
- The work of Chinese artist Cao Fei explores our brave new human condition in a technological world
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shuxia Chen, Lecturer, School of Art & Design, UNSW Sydney Installation view of the ‘Cao Fei: My City is Yours 曹斐: 欢迎登陆’ exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 30 November 2024 – 13 April 2025, artworks © Cao Fei. ...6 days ago
- Money link to illegal Israeli settlements ignites divestment battle in NZ city
By Craig Ashworth, Local Democracy Reporter New Plymouth has admitted it has investments in companies active in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, contrary to New Zealand government foreign policy and United Nations rulings. The revelation comes a week after Mayor Neil Holdom refused a request from Parihaka Pā ...6 days ago
- Cook Islands govt fends off cyberattacks, passes bill to strengthen financial transparency
Significant attempts were made from overseas to hack into the government’s central network a few weeks ago, Prime Minister Mark Brown has revealed. However, the Prime Minister said that the government’s robust firewall security systems were able to fend off these attempts. Brown revealed this while speaking in support of ...6 days ago
- Conan O’Brien just gave us the weirdest two minutes of Shortland Street ever
For the past three decades, there’s only been room for one Dr Love in Ferndale. Until now. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In its 32 glorious years, Shortland Street has given us a cornucopia of memorable celebrity cameos. We’ve had Ed Sheeran ...6 days ago
- Hairdressers say they didn’t know some salon rules David Seymour seeks to cut existed at all
David Seymour is spearheading a review of the hairdressing industry to address what he views as "unnecessary" regulations. ...6 days ago
- ‘There is money’ – Call for the Government to stump up on cancer screening promise
During the election campaign Christopher Luxon committed to lowering the age of screening for bowel cancer. ...6 days ago
- NZ Young Labour Condemns Assoc Min Of Immigration Decision To Overturn Denial Of Entry To Far-right ...
Immigration New Zealand’s original decision, based on section 15(1)(f) of the Immigration Act following Owens’ denial of entry to Australia, was a lawful and necessary measure to safeguard Aotearoa’s values of inclusivity and manaakitanga. ...6 days ago - A gift guide for people who really don’t want to buy shit
Gifts can be a source of joy this Christmas even if you hate capitalism. It can get very tiring buying stuff and yet giving people gifts is also a joy and Christmas is a time when one is expected to do a lot of it. But while snazzy and expensive ...6 days ago
- Health New Zealand staff in meetings over job cuts
Up to 400 jobs were believed to be on the line in the latest round of cuts. ...6 days ago
- ‘Standing next to you’: Gisborne council’s stance against Treaty Bill
Gisborne District Council opposes the Treaty Principles Bill, citing a lack of tangata whenua input. ...6 days ago
- British political stoush over sandwiches
The Conservative leader says they are not real food, but the prime minister enjoys a cheese toastie. ...6 days ago
- Government goes back to drawing board on Holidays Act
Thousands of employers have had to pay, or are still arranging to pay, billions of dollars in back pay due to problems with applying a law for years. ...6 days ago
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