Thousands protest Nats’ attack on our work rights

Written By: - Date published: 5:27 pm, August 21st, 2010 - 26 comments
Categories: democratic participation, workers' rights - Tags:

In glorious Wellington weather around 2,000 people turned out to protest National’s plans to put new employees on 90-day Fire at Will periods, let employers bar workers’ union officials from the worksite, and let employers demand a doctors’ note for just one day’s sick leave (which, apart from treating us all like liars, is attracting howls of protest from the medical community who fear clinics already facing cutbacks will be overloaded).

Any news on how the rallies went in Auckland and Christchurch? Apparently the weather in Auckland was bad but it didn’t stop a good turn-out – anyone got an estimate on the crowd size?

The CTU used the rallies to kick off the campaign against National’s disgraceful attack on our work rights. They announced that the campaign would culminate in a national day of action on October 20th.

Make no mistake, Kiwi workers won’t take this unjustified, spiteful attack on our work rights, which is simply designed to lower labour costs. We are fighting back. And the fight has just begun.

PS. The Herald reports two old geezers and an arthritic dog protested in Auckland. But they never were that good at counting.

26 comments on “Thousands protest Nats’ attack on our work rights ”

  1. Carol 1

    When I listened to Nat Rad in my break at work, they said 700 for Wellington & 200 for Auckland.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/54850/big-city-protest-rallies-against-new-labour-laws

    Stuff says 1500 in Wellington:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4047589/Thousands-protest-employment-law-reform

    And NZ herald say “hundreds” in Auckland:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10667838

    • Fisiani 1.1

      So that was it. Seriously? How utterly pathetic. A failed attempt to rouse the population against a popular policy and government. Please please keep up this campaign.

    • Santi 1.2

      Few followers of little Andrew Little, aka “Double Dipper” (in good company in that department with Bill English.)

  2. Bill 2

    The attack on work rights isn’t just about lowering labour costs. Less employment protection leads to greater churn and more insecurity. And that leads to companies collapsing as their productivity takes a nose dive. Which leads to lower across the board growth rates.

    Now. Who doesn’t give a toss about societal well being? And who benefits from collapsed and collapsing companies?

    Maybe the OECD links I provided earlier today that make the business argument for having very strong employment protection measures should be taken by somebody better at breaking down info than I am, and with more ‘establishment’ links than me, and something done about getting small and medium sized businesses (the most vulnerable under these insane polices) on side.

    edit here’s the comment with the links http://www.thestandard.org.nz/fairness-at-work-rallies-21-22-august-2/#comment-242547

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1

      So while neo-liberalism has been successful in restoring profitability and, more generally, business power, it has not led to stronger world growth.

      Jim Stanford, Economics for Everyone, p. 149
      The graph immediately following that shows investment slowdown in the G-7 countries from 1970 to 2006 from just under 16% of GDP to just over 6%. Profits over the same time grew considerably.

      Neo-liberalism was never about social benefits but about transferring power and wealth to the business class and capitalists.

      • Bill 2.1.1

        I get all that DtB, but focusing for a moment on the arguments put forward by proponents for ‘Fire at Will’ legislation and viewing their arguments through the lens of the OECD; an institution or conglomeration whose views business normally puts great store by, we get to a position where business, for the sake of productivity and efficiency and future profit should be against any proposal to ‘Fire at Will’.

        The cabal that is the NZ government says that removing employment protection will create employment. We know that’s false, but they are able to suggest that unions and workers are just offering an opinion and that everything will be a-ok. And then the second part of their argument, which is implied, is that efficiency and productivity will be improved by the removal of employment protections. The OECD says quite clearly that that is false and that the opposite is the case. The cabal that is our government knows that. It can’t not know that. It’s OECD reports ffs!

        Now who beyond financial speculators and their ilk…who just happen to be the types that constitute our government, profit from companies going down the tubes? No-one.

        The point I’m labouring here is that the NZ government is gaming the business community. And if there is a possibility that erstwhile allies of the government can be turned against the government, then I believe they ought to be afforded the information and the opportunity to do so.

  3. gingercrush 3

    This will probably be seen as trolling. But 250, 000 union members in this country and 6, 000 or less protest in New Zealand’s three biggest cities. Rather appalling turnout really in what are the largest law changes to employment laws since 1990.

    • Zetetic 3.1

      wait till Oct 20th, sunshine. This was the rallying call for the activists. We build from here

  4. Alwyn 4

    I’m sorry Marty but you must have been at a different rally to the one I was at.
    There was, unfortunately a disappointing turnout, well under 1000 at the most generous,
    and even that probably includes many who were just spectators.
    It was rather depressing in fact. Don’t people care.

  5. KJT 5

    Saturday morning. Most wage earners at work.

    • Fisiani 5.1

      Probably such a meagre turn out cos most of the unemployed were applying at small firms for a job under the popular 90 day right to prove yourself

      • Lanthanide 5.1.1

        Yeah, tens of thousands of the unemployed (you did say ‘most’) were out applying for jobs this Saturday. If only that were true, the unemployment rate might be back down to around 4% or so for the next stats.

  6. Carol 6

    Most people at my workplace today, didn’t seem to be aware that the protest was on. I think they are union members, but can’t have taken much notice of the emails from the union about the rally – or maybe they aren’t on the email list? I must check tomorrow – see if there was a notice about the rally on the staff lunchroom noticeboard.

  7. Carol 7

    Actually, I have just been thinking about how these employment law changes, and the rallies and protests will affect people I work with. The issues that the unions are highlighting at the moment, especially the 90 Day rule, must apply, most immediately, to people who aren’t members of unions.

    I work for a local council in the Auckland area. The main concern for most of my co-workers at the moment, is the shift to the super-city. So they pay most attention to the information from the unions about this. The workers this weekend were meant to receive letters indicating what their pay rates would be after November 1st. Some people who should have got letters didn’t, and the wording of the letters wasn’t immediately clear to everyone. That was the main issue workers discussed today.

    The CTU campaign, needs to make much more of an effort to show people in existing jobs, how the proposed new employment laws might impact on them. Probably, if a worker’s job seems secure for the near future, they may not think that much further into the future about potential hassles.

    • Outofbed 7.1

      I was at the Wellington rally an I thought it was a good size crowd, more then i was expecting
      Good to see people getting organised . and out there

      Don’t people care.?

      Some do, most don’t… at the moment
      Unfortunately we have to wait for the failed policies of the nutty right to filter through
      and people will start caring . Its annoying I agree but most people are not aware.
      And how are they going to be? certainly not by being informed through the traditional channels of commercial TV and radio. But inspite of that, there is increasing dissatisfaction out there. I am hearing more and more rumblings of discontent
      It just needs a focus ,shame labour has a centre right leader but I guess we on the left have to patiently wait for him to lose the 2011 election and be dumped and keep our fingers crossed MMP doesn’t disappear, then we will be truly fucked

      • Bill 7.1.1

        “Unfortunately we have to wait for the failed policies of the nutty right to filter through
        and people will start caring.”

        But will they act? The unions have set themselves up as the cavalry and as Carol notes, they are being the cavalry in a battle that hasn’t touched union members yet. But more than that, unions have assigned their members the role of being mere spectators. (There are very few sites that organise themselves to a level where they have little or no need for external paid union employees.) And mere spectators get bored and eventually stop paying any attention. And that’s led to some desperate attempts by union hierarchies to shore up a dead fiction with the use of slogans such as “You are the Union” which, lets face it, means nothing to a person who is (understandably) disengaged and viewing the union as an external agency tasked with sorting things out.

  8. hevelock vetinari 8

    “Our work rights”???? Doubt if “You” have worked a day in your life.

  9. David 9

    from UNITYblog…

    TV3’s estimate of 400 in Christchurch is pretty accurate (I was going to say 500). But I hope their figure of 600 in Auckland is a serious miscount. 2000 in Wellington is respectable, but if these figures are accurate, why were the numbers in the bigger centres so low?

    More here: http://unityaotearoa.blogspot.com/2010/08/600-in-auckland-2000-in-wellington-is.html

    I hope the reason I can’t find any left blogs reporting on the Auckland rally’s not because there were only 600.

  10. Alexandra 10

    There were many hundreds more than 600 in Auckland. Its always difficult to guess but I think it was closer to 1500. There must be a way that the left can assess numbers with reasonable accuracy so as to challenge the media’s predictable under-estimation, with some authority. I suggest we have counters and photograhers at strategic points of rallys/marches from here in, or exploit every opportunity for aerial photo shots. For example shots from one of the high rise buildings in Auckland during the peak of the rally would confirm the numbers.

    • lprent 10.1

      My guess was between 1000 and 1500. But it was a bitch of a location to do any estimates in. It was also pretty crowded

    • loota 10.2

      I just wrote a comment which said that Dunedin had 450-550 turn up at our march today. Maybe a few more. Not bad for a small city of 95,000 (once you take out the uni students still in bed on a Sunday morning…). The per capita ratio is excellent.

      It seems us mainlanders really give a s*** about this stuff; perhaps the neurosurgery issue is making activists proper out of Dunedin locals 😀

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T13:45:35+00:00