Unionised workers win pay rises, others get cuts

Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, February 3rd, 2010 - 70 comments
Categories: Unions, wages - Tags:

The latest round of the Labour Cost Index is out and it shows that the nation’s 400,000 union members are the workers holding their ground as businesses try to cut wage costs to preserve their profit margins:

Inflation was 2% this year. If you didn’t get a pay rise to match or beat that, your standard of living fell.

75% of non-union workers saw their real pay packet fall. 75% of union members won real increases to their pay. And I don’t see any businesses closing down because they gave their workers inflation-matching rises.

It’s simple. If you want better pay and a better standard of living for your family, join your union (find your union here). For the same price as one beer per week, your union delivers help in employment disputes, better conditions, and bigger pay rises – year after year after year.

70 comments on “Unionised workers win pay rises, others get cuts ”

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  1. IrishBill 1
    3 February 2010 at 9:59 am

    Not even a token argument from our resident right-wingers? I must say I’m immensely disappointed.

  2. snoozer 2
    3 February 2010 at 10:12 am

    hard to argue with those numbers.

    If your industry has a union (and nearly all do) and you don’t join, you’re really a sucker.

  3. Lanthanide 3
    3 February 2010 at 10:34 am

    My industry has no union.

  4. djp 4
    3 February 2010 at 10:39 am

    How much are union fees?

    • IrishBill 4.1
      3 February 2010 at 10:42 am

      Didn’t you read the article? The price of a beer per week. Typically they range from $4 to $10 depending on the union.

      • djp 4.1.1
        3 February 2010 at 11:24 am

        I didn’t see an article.

        so $10 per week, say $500 a year, thats getting close to 2% of a $30,000 dollar wage (before tax).

        • IrishBill 4.1.1.1
          3 February 2010 at 11:30 am

          Nobody on $30K is paying a $10 union fee. Those that do would include doctors, some senior teachers and airline pilots.

          And I meant post not article. My apologies.

          • djp 4.1.1.1.1
            3 February 2010 at 11:34 am

            oh ok, so the union fees tend to scale with the profession wages?

            another thing to factor is the cost of any strike action (you dont get paid while on strike right?)

            I guess it is up to each individual to weigh the pros and cons for his/her situation.. I am in IT like Lanthanide and have never considered unions

            • IrishBill 4.1.1.1.1.1
              3 February 2010 at 11:40 am

              Some unions scale fees, others charge a flat rate. The cost of strike action is minimal because very few negotiations involve industrial action (probably less than 1%) and often industrial action is structured to cause disruption or make a symbolic point without costing union members money.

              The other aspect of strike action is unions tend to get wage increases year on year and it is extremely rare for strike action on the same site two agreements in a row.

              Most unions will also provide hardship payments for workers who take significant strike action.

              edit: IT has a really low unionisation rate because it traditionally has been reasonably secure and high-paying. You only have to look at the fact Telecom is looking at outsourcing 400-1500 IT jobs to realise that those days are drawing to a close. I would strongly recommend anyone in IT start thinking about getting organised.

        • snoozer 4.1.1.2
          3 February 2010 at 11:40 am

          djp. $10 is the airline pilots etc. Unite’s dues are 1% of your wage up to $5 a week. PSA is $3.55 a week for someone on $30K.

          Those come $260 and $184 a year, 0.9% and 0.6% of gross wages

          Now, consider this, are you better off taking a pay cut with 0% or paying less than 1% to get an increase of at least inflation (ie 2%)?

          • snoozer 4.1.1.2.1
            3 February 2010 at 11:41 am

            not to mention all the other benefits of union membership

            • indiana 4.1.1.2.1.1
              3 February 2010 at 1:26 pm

              like having your union fees donated to a political party?

              • IrishBill …
                3 February 2010 at 1:32 pm

                Most unions aren’t affiliated with political parties and those that are provide you with the option of not having any of your membership fee put to affiliation fees.

              • lukas …
                3 February 2010 at 1:36 pm

                “Most unions aren’t affiliated with political parties”

                Come now, we all know that is not true. That is like saying the BRT is not politically affiliated

              • Bright Red …
                3 February 2010 at 3:02 pm

                No lukas. Affliation is a formal process. It is a democratic decision made the membership of unions. If a union’s members choose to affliate with Labour that means the union gives some money (I think it’s about a $1 per member typically) to the party, and get a seat on the Affliates’ Council.

                Most unions are not affliated. Nor is the BRT affliated to National, they are on the same side or most issues, so I guess you could call them allied.

                You could check this out by going to their websites if you want to be informed. Or you just stop making silly assumptions.

  5. IrishBill 5
    3 February 2010 at 1:37 pm

    Do you even understand what affiliating means?

  6. mickysavage 6
    3 February 2010 at 1:38 pm

    Here it is

    Oops in response to LuKKKKas’s request if anyone had seen Key’s education propaganda brochure.

  7. The Voice of Reason 7
    3 February 2010 at 1:54 pm

    Top post, Marty.

    It must be galling for the righties to look at the graph and realize that unions have done more to close the wage gap with Oz than anything this vacuous government or its favourite economic zombie Don Brash could ever do.

    I feel a Billy Bragg song coming on …

  8. Brett 8
    3 February 2010 at 2:12 pm

    How many union members are in the public service 90-95%?
    Its a hell of a lot easier to go on strike and demand money when the taxpayers footing the bill.
    As you know in NZ the majority of employers are small business owners who are probably struggling to stay afloat as it is.

    • Bright Red 8.1
      3 February 2010 at 3:10 pm

      Most union members are working in the private sector.

      ”m not sure of the numbers for public sector but last I heard private sector was about 12%, that means public sector would be something around 60% – most of that is teachers, nurses, doctors.

      In the core public service its only about a third, nothing like 90-95%. Only teachers, nurses, doctors are that highly unionised.

  9. the pinkpostman 9
    3 February 2010 at 2:18 pm

    In my work days I was a local Union chairperson .When the voluntary union bill was passed most left the union. However these non- unionist were the first in line to gather the benifits won by the union.It angered me then and it still does . Its about time we demanded that benifits gained for workers by their union should be for union members only.
    Its also time for us all to expose employers that only employ workers
    on condition they do not join a union. Yes ! it still goes on especially in the small country towns. The non unionist who takes the benifits of the uionists fight are the real bludgers of society ,they need to be exposed asuch.

    • indiana 9.1
      3 February 2010 at 4:27 pm

      “Its about time we demanded that benifits gained for workers by their union should be for union members only.”

      I agree. Does this mean an employer can have a collective agreement along aside individual agreements for jobs covered by the collective agreement? Currently we cannot. So unless this legislation is brought in, your stuck with “The non unionist who takes the benifits of the uionists fight are the real bludgers of society”

      • IrishBill 9.1.1
        3 February 2010 at 4:31 pm

        You don’t even know the law.

        • indiana 9.1.1.1
          3 February 2010 at 5:03 pm

          I am more than happy to concede where I am wrong…so if I have it wrong just let me know.

          My understanding is that if I employ carpet cleaners on a collective employment agreement, negotiated with the union. I cannot legally hire another carpet cleaner on different terms and conditions. I can put that person on an individual agreement, but their terms and conditions must mirror that of the collective.

          • IrishBill 9.1.1.1.1
            3 February 2010 at 5:10 pm

            Nope. You can have individual agreements that are completely different to those of the collective agreement. It happens quite frequently.

            What you can’t do is use the terms of an individual agreement to induce someone to leave the union or reduce their terms and conditions if they do join.

            Many union members negotiate individual terms and conditions above the collective agreement because the collective is minimum rate document.

            Of course for the first thirty days of employment people have full access to the collective agreement but if they don’t join the union after that then they have to negotiate an individual agreement.

            • the pinkpostman 9.1.1.1.1.1
              4 February 2010 at 2:56 pm

              However the fact remains that it is not only wages that Unions negotiate.Work conditions ,safety , and protective clothing ect are all Union success programmes . Many if not all were fought tooth and nail for.. Still the non union member enjoyed all these hard earned benifits. Once again non unionist are the biggest bludgers around. If a person has a religious objection then they should just pay their fee or make their fee to a charitable organisation.

  10. indiana 10
    3 February 2010 at 5:23 pm

    “Of course for the first thirty days of employment people have full access to the collective agreement but if they don’t join the union after that then they have to negotiate an individual agreement.”

    I think that is the point I was making. I don’t think I can present a new employee with 2 options, a collective contract and an individual contract, where the pay rate for the individual may vary from the collective for exactly the same job. I agree fully with your second paragraph. After 30 days if a person fails to join a union how can an employer benefit by negotiating an individual agreement that has better terms and conditions than the collective – they would be falling into the trap of offering a contract to lure people away from the union. And I doubt that the employee would want to negotiate anything less than the collective terms and conditions.

    • IrishBill 10.1
      3 February 2010 at 5:37 pm

      You can because you can offer rates over the collective. Being on an individual agreement doesn’t mean a worker can’t be a union member so it’s not an inducement to leave the union.

    • The Voice of Reason 10.2
      3 February 2010 at 7:30 pm

      You can offer both an individual agreement and a collective agreement in that first 30 days, but the employee is covered by the collective during that time.

      Now I reckon, between me and Irish, you just got 300 bones worth of IR advice. Care to hit the Donate button at the top of the page? The difference for union members is they can ring an 0800 number and get that advice, plus other benefits including legal representation, paid on a subscription basis and all for for a weekly fee lower than the price of a jug of the amber nectar.

      How cool is that?

      • indiana 10.2.1
        3 February 2010 at 9:27 pm

        Yeah thats pretty cool, but I rarely see individual contracts being negotiated with union representation. Equally it is rare to see unions fund disputes on behalf of individuals.

        • The Voice of Reason 10.2.1.1
          4 February 2010 at 8:08 am

          Well, it’s hardly likely that unions would negotiate an individual contract, they’re all about collective negotiation. Hard to have a union of one.

          I’m not sure what you mean about funding individual disputes, but unions regularly take court cases on behalf of individual members over unfair treatment, ACC claims, wage arrears and the like. Tend to win a lot, too.

  11. Tiger Mountain 11
    3 February 2010 at 7:07 pm

    There is obviously a genuine knowledge deficit here among some reasonably articulate people about being a union member. Not surprising after a generation and a half have experienced the wide promotion of the individualist world view. People take on all manner of personal ‘challenges’ these days, sky diving, extreme sports, ‘heroically’ survive on minimum wages etc. How about a new challenge-IT guys in nerdy glasses inclusive, join your appropriate union!

  12. mike 12
    3 February 2010 at 7:36 pm

    As I already posted here last year. Our waged staff got 2.5% last year and it only cost 7 full-time (unionised) staff their jobs.
    Well done EPMU!

    • IrishBill 12.1
      3 February 2010 at 8:11 pm

      I don’t believe for a second that your company wouldn’t have made those redundancies if there had been no pay rise. I imagine you’re looking over your own shoulder though as you appear to only comment outside of work hours nowadays.

      • mike 12.1.1
        3 February 2010 at 9:35 pm

        No Irish the fact is our new web marshal software blocks the standard due to ” violence/obsenities” beats me how I can still browse WOBH and KB ???
        Thanks for noticing though 🙂

    • The Voice of Reason 12.2
      3 February 2010 at 8:23 pm

      If the salaries of 7 staff were needed to compensate for an increase of only 2.5%, then you must have a shitload of unionised staff. 100? 200? If your company is that big you’ve probably got an MD or CEO, maybe even a board of directors. I’d be looking for signs of incompetence, greed or mismanagement there first, rather than blaming the union.

      Of course, it could just be your fault.

  13. dave 13
    3 February 2010 at 11:07 pm

    while I am supportive of unions and would not hesitate to join a union, it is not correct to state that unions are not affiliated with political parties. PSA union reps were quite upfront and overt in union meetings in 2005 and 2008 that members should vote Labour. Not one rep recommended that National or parties to the Right of the political spectrum should be considered

    • BLiP 13.1
      3 February 2010 at 11:44 pm

      The reps, obviously, had read, understood, considered, checked and discussed the policy and were advising members based on what was in the best interests of the members’ short and long term interests. Sound advice as it turns out, and all part of the service.

    • Marty G 13.2
      4 February 2010 at 12:29 am

      dave. the PSA is not affiliated to the Labour Party. Affiliation is a formal status and the PSA chooses not to have it because of its unique relationship with the government of the day..

      In fact, one of the sticking points over the proposed SWFU, PSA amalgamation was SWFU’s affiliation.

  14. big bruv 14
    4 February 2010 at 3:09 pm

    How did I miss this thread?

    Anyway, why would anybody want see their wages docked every week and that money be siphoned off into some union slush fund?

    Why would any worker want to give away their own negotiating rights to somebody who has no idea what you are worth as an employee?

    Do workers have any say in how their union dues are spent?, some might not the idea of having their money used to promote the labour party.

    • IrishBill 14.1
      4 February 2010 at 3:14 pm

      Of course workers have a say in how their dues are spent. Unions are incorporated societies that are owned and governed by their members.

  15. big bruv 15
    4 February 2010 at 3:24 pm

    Irish

    So if I was to join a union and say that I did not want my fees used to support the Labour party in any way the union would agree?

  16. big bruv 16
    4 February 2010 at 4:01 pm

    Iprent

    Can you believe that so many Kiwis think the educated elite of the left are arrogant tossers?
    I wonder where they get that idea from.

    I must admit, I would never again join a union, I hate them with a passion, I see them as nothing more than parasites stealing union dues from (mostly) hard working Kiwis.

    Interesting that you say joining a union is a choice, of course if you had your way we would go back to the bad old days of compulsory unionism.

    • lprent 16.1
      4 February 2010 at 6:06 pm

      bb: You really do say some really really stupid things.

      What makes you think that I want to go back to compulsory unionism? Are you a mind-reader or just a numbskull who prefers to believe stereotypes rather than face reality. I suspect you are the latter rather than the former because it is clear that you cannot see inside my head.

      I don’t want to have compulsory unionism, and I never did. However, unlike your youthful and intellectually challenged self, I actually saw the difficulties involved in the system prior to the end of it from the view of management.

      Competent unions are pretty good things for competent managers to have around. They provide a channel for both the genuine problem cases and the nutbars in your workforce to get representation. Both need hand-holding. They allow for collective agreements where the main employment issues get thrashed out.

      However unions get to be a pain when they compete for customers using demarcation systems rather than persuasion.

      Basically I suspect as per normal you have absolutely no actual ideas in the topic you’re discussing.. All you seem to ever do is use your moronic stereotypes and don’t bother to use your brains…

      Incidentally I’m arrogant (and always have been) because I’m extremely competent at almost everything I do. The education was just something I added on top of that. It is a pity that you ignored that opportunity when you had it. Basically you look rather like a bit of a prat looking for some crap to fall into.

      Jez I’m in a bad mood today…. And bb doesn’t help. It was being up half of the night working on the new site setup.

      • big bruv 16.1.1
        4 February 2010 at 6:56 pm

        Iprent

        I am constantly amazed at how you become so vicious when anybody dares question your view of the world, thank god the people of NZ tossed your lot out when they finally came to their senses.

        How I wish I was youthful, sadly those days are past, but like you I well remember when we all had to belong to the union, in my apprentice days I had some union thug storm into my place of work and interrogate me about why I had not yet joined the union, I told him that I was not interested as I was very well looked after by my employer. (who remains to this day one of my very best friends despite his Labour party membership).

        Once this moron (Incidentally, were you ever a union rep in Wellington back int he early 80’s?) had worked out that I was telling him in a very nice way that I was not interested in joining his union he proceeded to stab his finger into my chest and tell me “you do not have a choice”, now given that I was an apprentice butcher at this stage and had on my hips two or three razor sharpe knives I thought that this idiot was either incredibly thick (are you sure you were not a union rep?) or incredibly brave, anyway, it was only the timely intervention of by boss that calmed things down a bit.

        I have never forgotten that day or the thug from the union, to me they will always remain nothing more than parasites stealing money from hard working Kiwis.

        As for your admitted arrogance, well, at least you are honest about one thing, it is a pity that that level of arrogance is not matched by your ability, but then I find that with a lot of people who have a well hidden inferiority complex.

        • lprent 16.1.1.1
          4 February 2010 at 7:42 pm

          Yeah yeah, let me translate that for you – returning your earlier mind-read / stereotyping ‘favour’.

          So what you’re saying is that you’ve never bothered to look at the good things that unions do. The reason for this is because you didn’t like a union rep when you were young.

          You haven’t bothered to use that thing you call a brain to think about the issues. Have you ever considered why unions managed to survive after the compulsory unionism was removed. Of course you bloody haven’t. That would involve effort.

          You just come across as both lazy and rather dull. You don’t bother thinking about issues – you just react to them. Sounds pretty damn pathetic to me. You’re also stupid enough to try to apply your prejudices to others (like me) based on assumption rather than evidence. That is just mind-blowingly stupid. You’re probably stupid enough to believe in absolute truths*

          BTW: I’ve never been a member of a union. Just on the other side of the table a few times.

          Update: opps – I forgot Act is a faith-based party following a creed despite all evidence to the contrary – sorry for attacking your religion. You do believe in absolute truths…..

  17. Tiger Mountain 17
    4 February 2010 at 5:51 pm

    This BB wimp is very similar to the kind of “person’ that the Dairy Workers Union encountered on the margins of the Open Country Cheese Waharoa lockout (16.9-22.10.09), people such as head scab Leon Fowler from OCD Awarua site, and 13 other scabs from OCD Wanganui, that I won’t name here. Suffice it to say these semi articulate would be bullies are rather unpleasant types.

    BB doesn’t want to join a union-good!

    • big bruv 17.1
      4 February 2010 at 6:57 pm

      Hang on Iprent

      I think I might have found the 1980’s union thug.

      The post bashed out by Tiger Mountain has all the hallmarks of an intellectually challenged union moron.

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    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    2 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    3 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    4 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • JERRY COYNE: A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand
    JERRY COYNE writes –  If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
    Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession.  This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • The Scafetta Saga
    It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
    Real ClimateBy Gavin
    7 days ago

  • Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
    TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
      For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
     Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    1 week ago

  • A Womance, and a Nomance.
    After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • When The Internet Rushes To Your Defense
    Hi,You can’t make this stuff up.People involved with Sound of Freedom, the QAnon-infused movie about anti-child trafficker Tim Ballard, are dropping like flies. I won’t ruin your day by describing it here, but Vice reports that footage has emerged of executive producer Paul Hutchinson being inappropriate with a 16-year-old trafficking ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago

  • Doubts about Robertson’s good news day
    The trading banks yesterday concluded that though GDP figures released yesterday show the economy is not in recession, it may well soon be. Nevertheless, the fact that GDP has gone up 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter and that StatsNZ revised the previous quarter’s figure to show a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • The Votes That Media Dare Not Speak Its Name
    .Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..A recent political opinion poll (20 September) on TV1 presented what could only be called bleak news for the Left Bloc:National: 37%, down two points equating to 46 seatsLabour: 27%, down one point (34 ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    1 week ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38 2023
    Open access notables At our roots Skeptical Science is about cognition of the results of climate science research in the minds of the entire human population. Ideally we'd be perfectly communicating understanding of Earth's climate, and perfectly understood. We can only approximate that, but hopefully converging closer to perfection. With ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Failing To Hold Back The Flood: The Edgy Politics of the Twenty-First Century.
    Coming Over The Top: Rory Stewart's memoir, Politics On The Edge, lays bare the dangerous inadequacies of the Western World's current political model.VERY FEW NEW ZEALANDERS will have heard of Rory Stewart. Those with a keen eye for the absurdities of politics may recognise the name as that of the ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
    $12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
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