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Restaurant Brands to end zero hour contracts
Written By: - Date published: 8:36 am, April 9th, 2015 - 15 comments
Unite has achieved a significant victory by persuading Restaurant Brands to do away with zero hour contracts and to guarantee minimum working hours for staff.
Victory for the workers at Cotton On
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, April 1st, 2015 - 29 comments
FIRST Union has announced the ratification of the first ever collective agreement for workers at Cotton On.
Woodhouse: tough on bad employers?
Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, March 26th, 2015 - 22 comments
Michael Woodhouse is talking tough on bad employers … but what does it really mean, coming from this government?
Kiwis Stand Up To Corporate Bully
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 25th, 2015 - 14 comments
Cotton On’s act of provocation is matched in its cynicism only by the company’s contempt for the negotiation process. While attempting to feign an understanding of how the new law actually works, Cotton On simultaneously may also have breached the newly amended sections 4 and 32 of the ERA
Expect more zero-hours crisis cases
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, March 5th, 2015 - 8 comments
Today is not a good day for workers. Employment law changes that take effect today weaken workers’ rights and will result in more cases of zero-hour contract “excesses”. Labour’s Iain Lees-Galloway has been doing good work on this issue (sign the petition). In contrast National’s position now appears confused, with Workplace Relations & Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse acknowledging problems even as today’s changes make matters worse.
Nats getting squeamish on zero hour contracts
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, March 4th, 2015 - 61 comments
Zero hour contracts are the logical end point of National’s agenda for employment legislation. But last night Workplace Relations & Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse promised legislation to “prohibit the worst excesses”. “Excesses” in the free market – who would have thought?
Brassneck
Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, March 2nd, 2015 - 64 comments
The release of the candidate donation returns has shown us that the National Party are still rorting the system. However, there are issues for the NZ Labour Party as well. Four MP’s have taken money from sources that do not have the interests of the Labour party or, indeed, the majority of Kiwis at heart. Brassneck or bought and sold?
Andrew Little; leadership, loyalty and lasting the distance.
Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, February 26th, 2015 - 64 comments
Its 100 days since the NZ Labour Party elected Andrew Little as its leader. What an inspired decision that has turned out to be! Little has galvanised the party, united the caucus and looks set to be the next PM. How has he turned Labour around?
The Continuing Fight for Justice at Pike River
Written By: - Date published: 4:16 pm, February 25th, 2015 - 7 comments
Yesterday the families lost only a small bit of the battle for justice at Pike in an application to get some of the documentation on the Peter Whittall decision. It is clear from the decision that the process of filing itself caused MBIE to agree to release a number of the key documents.
The right to strike
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, February 17th, 2015 - 54 comments
Celebrate International Right to Strike Day on 18 February by sending a message to Kiwi employers: stop undermining our right to strike!
Labour takes a stand against zero-hour contracts
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, February 12th, 2015 - 92 comments
Zero-hour contracts are the perfect illustration of when “flexibility” in employment relations goes all one way.
The lie about productivity and wages
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, February 5th, 2015 - 49 comments
The Productivity Commission has a new report out which looks at changes in the labour income share, or LIS, from 1978 to 2010. The labour income share is described in the report’s summary as: The labour income share (LIS) measures the split of national income between workers who supply labour and the owners of capital. […]
AFFCO Talley’s and Jobs That Count
Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, February 5th, 2015 - 9 comments
Darien Fenton at Jobs That Count brings us the details of the fight for decent pay and conditions at Talley’s meat processing plants
Jobs That Count
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, December 17th, 2014 - 20 comments
The Meatworkers Union today launch a campaign for Jobs That Count – to try to get better conditions for these marginalised workers who face it all – seasonal work, dangerous jobs, casual and zero hours contracts and anti-union pressure.
‘Ditch the [misleading] rhetoric’
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, December 12th, 2014 - 16 comments
On RNZ this morning PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff criticised Bill English for his misleading rhetoric about rises in “average wages”. NZ’s income and wealth gaps have increased in recent decades. The lowest income remain low; the top earners get big salary increases.
Exploited workers need union protection
Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, December 1st, 2014 - 30 comments
Another example of a bad employer unfairly docking a worker’s pay. But this worker was a union member…
’81: knowing your position
Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, November 22nd, 2014 - 103 comments
Andrea Vance has written an informative article about Andrew Little. In it, among other things, we learn that Little remembers exactly which side he was on during the 1981 Springbok rugby tour.
Labour and the unions
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, November 19th, 2014 - 109 comments
In which I ponder my 2c on the leadership race, and the path ahead for Labour and the unions…
The casualisation of work
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, November 14th, 2014 - 147 comments
Zero hour contracts, where an employee’s work hours are determined solely at the whim of the employer, are becoming increasingly common. The implications for the fight against poverty are dire.
Dairy Workers back Andrew Little
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, October 29th, 2014 - 35 comments
The Dairy Workers Union has officially endorsed Andrew Little’s bid for the Labour leadership.
Labour day – thank a unionist
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, October 27th, 2014 - 72 comments
Today is a day to celebrate the rights hard won by workers and unions, past and present. There’s a reason it’s called “Labour Day” not “Free Market Day”…
Collective bargaining? Yeah right …
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, October 26th, 2014 - 11 comments
JAmooches continues their analysis of the effects of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. Today the focus is on the provisions that negate the requirement for the parties to act in good faith bargaining, in particular for being able to conclude collective agreements.
EPMU endorses Andrew Little for Labour leader
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, October 20th, 2014 - 67 comments
The EPMU have just announced they’re endorsing Andrew Little for Labour leader.
The power & the pressure
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, October 14th, 2014 - 115 comments
We need a new green left direction, now and for the future. A future Labour-Green-Mana coalition government could provide such a direction. The original NZ Values Party Manifesto provides an important Blueprint.
ANZ staff striking
Written By: - Date published: 2:31 pm, October 10th, 2014 - 24 comments
All the best to the ANZ staff who are on strike today.
Hello National, bye bye breaks …
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, September 28th, 2014 - 53 comments
Our guest poster has a look at the Employment relations Amendment Bill that National will attempt to sneak through during Labour’s leadership primary. This bill is clearly targeted at those employees who are most vulnerable. It reinforces the Nat’s slow and steady but effective chipping away of employee’s rights and will really resonate with its core constituency
The only way National know to grow the economy
Written By: - Date published: 5:15 pm, September 10th, 2014 - 19 comments
On Firstline this morning, John Key tried to compare National’s and Labour’s policies by saying “You can’t grow the economy when you restrict labour laws.” It’s nonsense, and it’s scary.
Helen Kelly on Vote Chat: Questions for PoA & Key?
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, August 16th, 2014 - 17 comments
Helen Kelly is interviewed on Vote Chat. Kelly raises questions about the Ports of Auckland & Key’s role in Dirty Politics. She has read some of Dirty Politics, & was axed from today’s the Nation Panel, then replaced by Josie Pagani.[Updated]
The real aims of National’s “Education” policy.
Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, July 8th, 2014 - 149 comments
If the aims of National/ACT’s education policy were, genuinely, to to improve the learning, education and career choices for our children, including the ones that are failing at present, they would not be following policies which have signally failed to achieve any of these goals, anywhere else they have been tried.
Laissez faire capitalists think that India’s labour laws are too protective
Written By: - Date published: 2:09 pm, May 20th, 2014 - 53 comments
India has a new leader following recent elections. Narendra Modi has some strange ideas on Labour laws unfortunately and thinks that Indian workers have too much protection.
Remembering forestry workers
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, April 28th, 2014 - 15 comments
The deaths of forestry workers are outrageous & sad. Helen Kelly has campaigned extremely well for change. An international day of remembrance yesterday, a procession on parliament today – a belated govt Bill that is an improvement, but does not go far enough.
- Treaty Principles bill hīkoi pauses to gather steam, before march to Parliament
Final preparations are being made as tens of thousands of people in te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti convoys converge in the capital. ...6 days ago - My Brilliant Career: musical based on Miles Franklin’s novel takes us on a sassy, spirited journey...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Senior Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Pia Johnson Melbourne Theatre Company’s My Brilliant Career is a musical re-imagining of Miles Franklin’s classic 1901 novel of the same name. It follows a young woman, Sybylla Melvyn, as she ...6 days ago - Stinky feet, angry mermaids and a toilet ghost: Round The Twist musical captures the magic and madne...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Schirmer, ROLE at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University Lyndon Mechielsen It’s a universally acknowledged truth that a geriatric millennial in possession of a Scholastic book club catalogue and a television must have been a fan of Paul Jennings back in the ...6 days ago
- Why Mark Mitchell won’t resign one year after becoming Police Minister
Mark Mitchell promised to step down if there was no significant change in law and order statistics in his first 12 months. ...6 days ago
- Air is an overlooked source of nutrients – evidence shows we can inhale some vitamins
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flávia Fayet-Moore, Adjunct Lecturer, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle Ground Pictures/Shutterstock You know that feeling you get when you take a breath of fresh air in nature? There may be more to it than a simple lack ...6 days ago
- Hikoī day 8: Te Pāti Māori co-leader speaks of ‘sense of betrayal’ over bill
ACT leader David Seymour has spoken out on Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke’s haka in Parliament as a Hīkoi against his controversial Treaty Principles Bill converges on Wellington. The Te Pāti Māori MP was suspended for 24 hours and “named” for leading the haka during the first reading of the bill last Thursday. ...6 days ago
- Statement From Palestinian Leaders: Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti Is A Historic Moment For All In Aotearoa
Inspired by the kotahitanga of te ao Māori, we draw on our own political tradition of nurturing a unified Palestinian people despite exile and separation. We unify here for te Tiriti. ...6 days ago - What is ‘doll therapy’ for people with dementia? And is it backed by science?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nikki-Anne Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), UNSW Sydney Jack Cronkhite/Shutterstock The way people living with dementia experience the world can change as the disease progresses. Their sense of reality or place in time can become distorted, which ...6 days ago
- As Australia privatises nature repair, the cheapest approach won’t save our threatened species
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Penny van Oosterzee, Adjunct Associate Professor James Cook University and University Fellow Charles Darwin University, James Cook University Shutterstock Australia is a world-leader in species extinction and environmental decline. So great is the problem, the federal government now wants to harness ...6 days ago
- Dozens of refugees are still stranded in precarious situations in PNG – and support from Australia...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Nethery, Senior Lecturer in Politics and Policy Studies, Deakin University After nearly a year without basic income and support services, 42 refugees and asylum seekers remaining in Papua New Guinea will soon begin receiving a meagre allowance of 900 kina (A$338) ...6 days ago
- David Seymour criticises Maipi-Clarke’s haka on eve of Treaty hīkoi’s arrival at Parlia...
The ACT leader and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have spoken to reporters as a hīkoi against his controversial Treaty Principles Bill converges on Wellington. ...6 days ago
- Financial stress and cultural differences make migrants particularly vulnerable to gambling harms. H...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Himanshu Gupta, Senior Research Fellow (Lived Experience), Rural and Remote Health, Flinders University Rose Marinelli/Shutterstock Australians lose around A$25 billion on legal forms of gambling each year, representing the largest per person losses in the world. Gambling harms – including financial, ...6 days ago
- New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you like big-budget sci-fi: Dune Prophecy (Neon, November 18) Set 10,000 years before Denis Villeneuve’s awe-inspiring Dune, the mysterious all-female sect the Bene Gesserit take centre-stage ...6 days ago - Select committee calls for repeal of Section 7AA of OT Act to be softened
A select committee led by coalition MPs has called for the proposed repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act to be softened. ...6 days ago
- What can we really expect from an expanded mining industry?
The minerals sector is highly volatile, highly competitive and changing rapidly, and the most obvious rationale for expansion – that it will provide a boost to national and regional economies – is certainly not a given. Shane Jones’s mining boosterism has regenerated a seemingly perennial debate around the industry and ...6 days ago
- Pacific profiles: Meet the Southside Aiga Midwives, who serve whānau in the heart of Māngere
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Dinah Otukolo and Dianne Wihoni, two Southside Aiga Midwives. All photos by Geoffery Matautia. Tucked away at the edges of the Māngere ...6 days ago
- Federated Mountain Clubs Of New Zealand Stand Firm: Conservation Access For All, Not Just The Wealth...
On access issues, FMC represent Aotearoa’s passionate outdoor and conservation communities, dedicated to keeping natural spaces open for everyone—regardless of income or background. ...6 days ago
- Fiji’s mainstream media fight for survival in social media era
By Georgia Brown, Queensland University of Technology Fijian newsrooms are under pressure to adapt as audiences shift away from traditional media such as newspapers, radio, and television, in favour of Facebook and other social media platforms. Asia Foundation research showed that Fijians ranked Facebook as their third most significant source ...6 days ago
- MFAT Decision To Ship $4 Million To Vanuatu Out-Of-Touch
The comments made by NZ’s delegation to COP 29, Mr. Croad discussing additional ‘pathways’ to forfeit more NZ tax dollars to Vanuatu are both out-of-touch & disrespectful to hardworking taxpayers, says Union Communications Officer, Alex Emes. ...6 days ago
- Public pressure mounts for Kiwisaver funds to invest ethically
A new campaign is targeting ASB due to its Kiwisaver funds having investments in Motorola, a company that supplies Israel’s military. Over three million New Zealanders have Kiwisavers across 350 funds, each with their own investment portfolio. According to the latest Kiwisaver annual report, the highest and fastest growing investment ...6 days ago
- The government wants to count blue carbon towards climate targets. But ocean carbon could cut both w...
NZ's enormous exclusive economic zone contains a huge amount of carbon in its ocean sediments, and releasing even a tiny proportion could undo any other climate benefits. ...6 days ago
- As AI and megaplatforms take over, the hyperlinks that built the web may face extinction
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dana McKay, Associate Dean, Interaction, Technology and Information, RMIT University Jakub Krechowicz / Shutterstock The original idea for the world wide web emerged in a flurry of scientific thought around the end of World War II. It began with a hypothetical ...6 days ago
- The latest COVID booster will soon be available. Should I get one? Am I eligible?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Bartlett, Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle Towfiqu barbhuiya/Pexels Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recently approved a new COVID booster. The shot was developed by Pfizer and targets the JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron. This ...6 days ago
- Traditional owners and scientists worked together on ‘coral IVF’ projects. Here’s what we foun...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carly Randall, Senior Research Scientist, Benthic and Restoration Ecology, Australian Institute of Marine Science Coral Brunner/Shutterstock The Great Barrier Reef, which supports an estimated 64,000 jobs and has a social and economic value of around A$6.4 billion, is under threat due ...6 days ago
- Waiting for exam results can be awful. Our research shows how best to manage the stress
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Kalokerinos, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, The University of Melbourne Jan Faukner/Shutterstock It’s that time of year when students are waiting for school and university results that could change the course of their lives. Uncertain waiting periods are among ...6 days ago
- Would a mandatory five-day working week solve construction’s work-life balance woes?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Loosemore, Professor of Construction Management, University of Technology Sydney Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Working practices in the construction industry have been labelled a relic of a bygone era – 64% of employees work more than 50 hours per week. Long working hours can ...6 days ago
- Another rushed migration bill would give the government sweeping powers to deport potentially thousa...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government is looking to introduce laws that would give it unprecedented powers to forcibly remove non-citizens from Australia. The newly introduced Migration ...6 days ago
- We need a minister for big tech, and we need one now
We have a minister for racing, and for space. It’s utterly indefensible that we don’t have one in sole charge of dealing with large technology platforms. When you start looking, it’s all you see. Just last week, the Commerce Commission announced criminal charges against One NZ for advertisements around its ...6 days ago
- Live: Māori Queen to join hīkoi mō Te Tiriti to Parliament
The Treaty Principles Bill jeopardises Māori rights and sends a clear message Māori don't matter, Lady Tureiti Moxon says. ...6 days ago
- Maaori Queen Brings Message Of Kotahitanga To The Nation
Te Arikinui is urging all New Zealanders to embrace our shared identity and collective strengths to move forward together. will join the people of the nation as they Hiikoi to Parliament on Tuesday under the protection of Te Kahu o te Raukura, which represents ...6 days ago
- Treaties, truth and equality: how NZ, Australia and Canada are all struggling with colonial politics
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University The hīkoi (march) to protest NZ’s Treaty Principles Bill crosses Auckland Harbour Bridge, November 13. Getty Images With the ACT ...6 days ago
- The haka that circled the globe
A polarising haka has chalked up some gobsmacking numbers around the world, and it even pursued the NZ prime minister to Peru, writes Toby Manhire in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Half a billion views and counting On Thursday afternoon ...6 days ago
- The mistakes, inaccuracies and unchecked claims that led to Oranga Tamariki permanently uplifting a ...
Anna's granddaughter was taken from her by social workers in a matter of minutes. It took years for Oranga Tamariki to admit it should never have happened. ...6 days ago
- NZ to sign $4m climate reparations deal with Vanuatu
Vanuatu hopes funding from NZ will unlock additional money towards its anticipated loss and damage needs of US$177 million over the next decade The post NZ to sign $4m climate reparations deal with Vanuatu appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 days ago - Committee draws short straw to work on Treaty Principles Bill
The Treaty Principles Bill has been handed over to the Justice Select Committee. It’s now up to them to shepherd it through a six-month debate. The post Committee draws short straw to work on Treaty Principles Bill appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 days ago
- Govt to ramp up anti-scam efforts, bringing public sector and banking industry together
New Zealanders have lost nearly $200m in the last year to scammers, it has been revealed. ...6 days ago
- Hīkoi mō te Tiriti: Wellington commuters warned to expect hours-long delays when protest march arr...
There will be extra buses and train carriages to ease congestion, but it will still be "super busy". ...6 days ago
- Non-Māori lend their voices of support to the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti
Pākehā and tauiwi "need to make our stand clear about Te Tiriti", supporters say. ...6 days ago
- Ka tuku te rākau: Handing over the baton of protest to a new generation
As tens of thousands show their support for the hīkoi to parliament, the organisers are busy behind the scenes ensuring things run smoothly. For many, this is their first time leading a kaupapa of this scale – and it hasn’t all been easy. On August 31, an extraordinary hui was ...6 days ago
- Banks are grappling with a scam ‘crisis’ while Facebook profits from it
The CEOs of two major New Zealand banks say Facebook is rife with fraud – and that Meta is too busy making money from scam ads to try and stop them. Duncan Greive reports. The story would have been dystopian a few years ago, but is now routine, almost unremarkable. ...6 days ago
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