Next Monday 1,000 workers at Talley's owned AFFCO will take strike action. After 18 months of trying to drive down their terms and conditions, Talley's are the first company to take advantage of the government's new employment laws to walk away from bargaining. This is…
I'd hate to count the number of times that political pundits have said that New Zealand First is dead for one reason or another. I'd really hate to have to find and read John Armstrong's stash of them. He has been consistently wrong about the…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other.
Reposted from No Right Turn. The latest Household Labour Force Survey was released today, showing that despite Treasury projections of a fall, unemployment had risen for the second quarter in a row. There are now 148,000 people unemployed, 43,000 more than when National took office.…
Far too late in his presidency Obama is taking important action on climate change: Obama unveils sweeping cuts to power plant emissions: 'We have to get going' ‘We are the last generation that can do something’ about climate change says president in announcing requirement of…
Last week (ex) President Jimmy Carter created a bit of a stir with this pretty frank assessment of the state of US politics: It [money in politics] violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an…
There are a few tell tale signs showing when National is in trouble. For instance dumping a huge amount of paper at the one time during a week when Parliament is not sitting and the responsible Minister is overseas apparently without access to a land line…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other.
The Talleyban, eh? No, I'm not off to Afghanistan, but I have been thinking about another brutal organisation firmly opposed to the kiwi way of life. I'm boycotting Talley's products until they negotiate a collective employment agreement with their AFFCO meat plant workers. If they're…
With Solid Energy facing liquidation no doubt there will be analysis about why this is happening and who is to blame. I believe that blame is clear and it should be applied to the incompetence of this Government. This is what I wrote in October…
From RNZ last night: Private prosecution win over forestry worker's death The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) has won a private prosecution against a Tokoroa forestry company over the death of a worker, after the government safety regulator declined to prosecute. In 2013, loader driver…
My name is Enzo Giordani, I am a dyed in the wool Labour voter, supporter and activist, and despite my party’s line on this I am advocating to change the New Zealand flag. Why would I commit such a heinous act? Well, it’s quite simple…
Colin Craig is serious about suing Williams, Stringer and Slater. Formal legal advice has been sent. Not only that, but Craig's pamphlet is appearing in letter boxes. I've seen a report via Twitter from (presumably) Wellington. Last night there was a copy in my box…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other.
He could have just apologised, but instead: John Key disputes claims he said Maori language month would be 'boring' The Prime Minister disputes a teenager's claims that he said a Maori language month would be "boring". John Key was alleged to have made the comment,…
An extraordinary threat to the privacy of Christchurch clients of Relationships Aotearoa has been revealed this morning. A callous, grasping commercial landlord was trying to leverage money out of liquidators PriceWaterhouseCoopers by refusing them permission to remove and secure a roomful of sensitive files. The…
There were some good opinion pieces published over the weekend. Here's three of them, starting with Rod Oram in the SST: Key thinks he can sell cowshit to cockies Over the past few weeks Prime Minster John Key and his government have reached new heights…
My husband Shane was killed at work. He was working for a small crew on a forestry site on the Napier-Taupo road when it happened. It has changed my life, and the life of my beautiful daughter Skyla, forever. She wasn’t even two years old…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Max Keiser and Stacey Herbert have just done a great episode of the Keiser Report with Dr Guy Standing of the international Basic Income Earth Network. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBJlU4xIxBk They cover: - How a globalised plutocracy has constantly shifted income share to capital and away from labour.…
A couple of good pieces on Helen Clark recently. One on global challenges: Helen Clark discusses the global challenges facing humanity The planet is under pressure like never before. With a ballooning population consuming ever-more of its resources, the profligate way in which humanity operates…
It must be the pressure is getting to him and he is getting bored as his stint as Prime Minister of New Zealand. Because John Key is doing some pretty stupid stuff. The latest is his insulting a young 16 year old woman who asked…
An excellent piece by Graham Adams - well worth reading the whole thing in Metro, but here are some extracts: How bizarre Is New Zealand becoming the Absurdistan of the South Pacific? Graham Adams reflects on the slow unravelling of a small democracy. Absurdistan was…
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Hopefully the TPPA is sinking again. The much heralded final conference has apparently been delayed by many hours. Trade ministers and officials had set a goal to reach an agreement by today and a press conference on the decision was due to be held at…
So the news on Labour's first paper from its "Future of Work" Commission revolves around "ex-Labour member" Phil Quin noticing some missing quote marks and National making gleeful diversions from it. At least Phil Quin isn't attacking the party while being quoted as "Labour insider"…
Well blow me down. I thought Cameron Slater's and Jason Ede's investigation of a clearly crippled Labour server was as clear an example of hacking as you could imagine. But the Police has decided that nothing untoward has occurred and are refusing to charge them.…