Wheelers: A typical working class tale…

Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, October 16th, 2011 - 6 comments
Categories: john key, national, same old national, wages - Tags:

Over at Wheelers corner in the Manwatu there is this rather classic post about a conversation overheard in a cafe.

Eavesdropper:

Marton is a small place and I had stopped for a short break after visiting Hunterville. The café was small but made a good brew. Two guys were sitting with a dark suited chap who had his back to me. Their conversation went something like this:

“So there you go Rangi there is not much I can actually do”, said Mr. Suit,
“It stinks”, said Rangi.
“How do you feel Bob” asked Mr. Suit to the other chap.
“You want the truth”, replied Bob.
“Yes”, said Mr. Suit in a very nervous manner.
“I agree with Rangi, it stinks, it smells like dead rats and I think its crap”, said Bob.
“I can understand you saying that but times are tough and we all need to pull our belts in”, said Mr. Suit.
“Come on, interrupted Bob. You just quit your job after twelve years, you get a huge pension, free travel and a bloody sight more, and you tell us we have to tighten our belts, our belts are already so tight we can hardly breathe”.
Silence reigned supreme and I wondered where this discussion would end, well it never took long for me to find out.
“So there is nothing you can do”, asked Rangi hopefully.
“Not really”, the suit answered
“So we just have to take a 15 to 20% wage cut and say nothing”, said Bob
“Looks like it”, answered the big fellow in the dark suit.
“So you agreed with smiling John Key when he suggested wage cuts”, added Rangi.
“Did he suggest that? I never knew that”, suit responded.
“Bloody oath he did and our bosses took him up on his offer”, said Bob.

Simon Power Nats whiz-kid

Just at that moment a man in a dark uniform entered the café and said to Mr. Suit, “Your car is here Sir”. Mr. Suit stood and went to shake hands with Rangi and Bob, they waved him away. Seeing his face I recognised him…Simon Power [pictured] Minister of Justice, the Nats whiz kid, future Prime Minister, retiring MP for Rangitikei.

Bob and Rangi were two of the hundreds of locked-out meat workers living in the Rangitikei because they wouldn’t agree to a 15 to 20 percent reduction in wages. Not for them a dark suited driver, a pension after 12 years, automatic wage increases, and free tickets to the rugby world cup…etc…etc

6 comments on “Wheelers: A typical working class tale… ”

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  1. alex 1
    16 October 2011 at 12:21 pm

    I’m glad Power is going, he has a nasty authoritarian streak. In a crisis if he was PM I wouldn’t be surprised if things turned very Volkner very fast.

    • Jum 1.1
      16 October 2011 at 9:45 pm

      Finally someone mentioned the ‘Volkner’ word. It’s a bit like trying not to say ‘Voldemort’.

      Power is set to get a huge say in the assets which his government will sell as soon as they get into government again, if we let them.

      As CEO of Westpac he gets to deal with the Kiwisaver purchase of shares.

      His retiring mate from NZX gets to join him in some way – all will be revealed by this greedy megalomaniacal government.

      Along with John Key they will get to own a huge amount of shares in what once belonged to all of us.

  2. Cin77 2
    16 October 2011 at 12:31 pm

    That makes me sick.

  3. fender 3
    16 October 2011 at 1:20 pm

    In my opinion this is what the suit was really thinking but too nutless to say…”Look Bob, Rangi you guys are modern day slaves with no power, I’m listening to you two out of courtesy as I’m on the side of the corporates. Their shareholders demand a level of return on their investment no matter what the economic climate. They hold all the cards so just be gratefull you still have a job even if your renumeration for that job is shrinking. I’m sorry I cant/won’t go in and bat for you slaves as really I don’t care about your situation, my sympathy lies with my 1%er friends”.

  4. Ms X 4
    16 October 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Heart-breaking but all too true.

  5. mik e 5
    17 October 2011 at 12:07 am

    Power will probably end up taking over from the dinosaurs in ACT Association of corrupt tax dodgers

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