Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, December 10th, 2009 - 10 comments
A victory for New Zealand’s 270,000 retail workers and their families last night, with Parliament voting 62-59 to reject National MP Todd McClay’s Easter Sunday trading bill. This debate has never been about observing a religious holiday as the neoliberals try to paint it, it’s about recognising that there should be times during the year […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, October 8th, 2009 - 14 comments
The Bridgeman Concrete workers locked out for nine days hardened their picket last week. Two concrete trucks couldn’t leave the depo, costing the company $3,000 in ruined concrete. The company responded by caving in, and lifted the lock out. As well as lifting their lockout Bridgeman also conceded to workers’ demands for a fairer redundancy agreement that […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, September 16th, 2009 - 14 comments
Last week I wrote: We’re seeing a new pattern in work relations emerging. The big employers, emboldened by having their party in power and using the recession as an excuse, are attacking workers’ pay and conditions. Now, on the same day Talley and National-linked Open Country Cheese begins shutting out its workers and illegally using […]
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, August 28th, 2009 - 12 comments
“I’m not going to resign” – Kate Wilkinson It’s one of the truisms of politics that when you’re a minister and you say you’re not resigning, it’s only a matter of time until you are. Kate Wilkinson’s behaviour has been almost universally disgraceful- the Kiwisaver debacle, her vitriol during the Shawn Tan affair, refusing the let […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:45 pm, July 7th, 2009 - 6 comments
As has been expected for some time, the National Distribution Union has announced that its President, Robert Reid, will be taking over as National Secretary from Laila Harre in August. Harre will leave with a stronger union than she found it, and will probably be remembered best for the epic Progressive lockout, as well as […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, May 17th, 2009 - 11 comments
A great initiative from the National Distribution Union: With the bank (Westpac) leaving Lane Walker Rudkin workers out in the cold without their redundancy pay and the Government failing to respond to calls for funds to establish a worker-led support centre we are running cake stalls to help the workers help each other. The first […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, November 21st, 2008 - 33 comments
Workers from Farmers stores in the Auckland area will take part in a ‘Skinny Santa’ parade down Queen Street today to protest against their low rates of pay and for a $15 minimum wage. Most Farmers staff are only paid between $12 and $13.50 an hour and the company’s latest pay offer would give the […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 am, July 25th, 2008 - 39 comments
Democratic, voluntary organisations of workers: Finsec: “Within the current framework, many workers have been able to achieve real wage increases like the 5% increase from Westpac our members have been offered this week…These pay rises have come as a result of staff being able to bargain collectively through their own independent union. National’s policies undermining […]
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