The casualisation of work
Zero hour contracts, where an employee’s work hours are determined solely at the whim of the employer, are becoming increasingly common. The implications for the fight against poverty are dire.
Economy
Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
Social housing providers
Is Key planning to flog off state houses at half price to a liquor company?
The cost of terrorist rhetoric
When John Key takes to the media to over-hype the risks of ISIS terrorism to NZ, there is a cost.
The TPPA – big business plans to fight back
Big business is planning a fighting fund to extol the virtues of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. And they want there to be a debate about the benefits of the TPPA. But only after the treaty has been concluded …
Effects of privatised power
The entirely predictable effects of privatising much of our electricity generation capacity are arriving thick and fast.
Lessons from the ’30s and 40’s: culture and the left
We often look to the first Labour Government for core left wing values, & a political way forward. As well as massively restructuring of the NZ economy, work, welfare & housing, that Government aimed to restructure NZ culture & to combat capitalist-dominated popular culture.
Fifty year mortgages
Fifty year mortgages are here, and as usual the game is rigged against the ordinary buyer. Madness.
“Marching in the streets”
Thousands of people protested and marched around the country against the secret and anti-democratic TPPA negotiations. Reports & pics. Updated
The working poor
The Nats’ line on poverty is that beneficiaries need to get in to work. The rise of the working poor both in NZ and internationally, shows what nonsense that excuse is.
TPPA protests Saturday
NRT: Betrayal at Pike River
I/S at No Right Turn on the Pike River decision.
Campbell Live on ‘Feed the Kids Bill’
The main message from Campbell Live last night is we really need the “Feed the Kids” Bill to pass it’s first reading: then the Bill will go to Select Committee, so everyone can have a conversation. Update: reading postponed ‘cos Key’s war statement debate gets priority.
Partially Privatised Power Companies Chief Executives’ salaries surge
Chief executive remuneration packages in the privatised power companies have surged post float.
Campbell & Gould on neoliberalism
Yesterday’s Werewolf contained a fascinating discussion between Gordon Campbell and Bryan Gould on neoliberalism and the economy. It should be required reading for Labour leadership contenders!
How much is too much?
In England there is a couple who own nearly 1,000 houses, who previously evicted beneficiaries in favour of Eastern European immigrants but who have recently taken to evict immigrants with too many children. And in Uruguay there is a former President who used to give most of his salary to charity, who lived in a farmhouse rather than a palace and who drove a VW Beetle rather than a limousine. Which particular form of humanity should be in charge?
The future of work, income
Automation is changing everything – faster than we think…
EEO Commissioner blasts employment law changes
Workers have lost the statutory right to meal breaks and smokos. Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Commissioner Jackie Blue – who happens to be an ex Nat MP – pulls no punches in setting out the consequences.
Dairy Workers back Andrew Little
The Dairy Workers Union has officially endorsed Andrew Little’s bid for the Labour leadership.
There is no child poverty in New Zealand
A recently published UNICEF report on levels of child poverty amongst developed economies suggests that despite our rockstar economy and our brighter future child poverty levels in New Zealand have stagnated since 2008 while in Australia meaningful changes have been made.
Distractify
While shepherding through horrendous housing changes and removing workers’ rights – and hiding from Dirty Politics – John Key needs a big “look over there!”
Emmerson – The bloodsucker’s treat
National losing the middle?
In its first term, National was very careful to be incremental – Key hung to the middle, chipping away carefully at workers’ rights […]
Save our tea breaks
Labour hopes to collect signatures for this petition over Labour Weekend…
Labour day – thank a unionist
Today is a day to celebrate the rights hard won by workers and unions, past and present. There’s a reason it’s called “Labour Day” not “Free Market Day”…
Collective bargaining? Yeah right …
JAmooches continues their analysis of the effects of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. Today the focus is on the provisions that negate the requirement for the parties to act in good faith bargaining, in particular for being able to conclude collective agreements.
NRT: National lets Shell drill illegally
Illegal drilling in our “Exclusive Economic Zone” gets let off with a “warning”.
Poverty and the need to belong
I’ve read a couple of thought-provoking accounts of poverty lately. There are common themes – issues that the political right, which can only see “the poor” as separate from “us”, will never understand and acknowledge.
Opposition to Nats’ attack grows
Labour’s petition against National’s attack on Kiwi’s rights including the right to a break at work is growing like topsy with over 22,000 people signing up to it in the last day and a half.
Auckland Labour Day Event
The Mangere Labour Electorate Committee is planning an interesting event on Labour Day in Auckland to commemorate the contributions of three different people to the Labour movement.
Save our tea breaks
Measuring poverty
The National government has always been selective about what it likes to measure, and so far refused to measure poverty. Under questioning on Morning Report this morning Key finally made a commitment to do so. We must hold him to it.
Hypocrisy and the cost of crime
The Government canned a report on the costs of various kinds of economic crime. RNZ obtained a copy under the OIA, and we can see why the Nats would never have wanted it released…
EPMU endorses Andrew Little for Labour leader
The EPMU have just announced they’re endorsing Andrew Little for Labour leader.
The 4th estate & its pretenders
Some journalists continue to try to fulfill the fourth estate ideal of pursuing truth & speaking truth to power. Others, with powerful links to corporate media & governments, work to suppress debate and democracy, often using threats, abusive nastiness & fear mongering.
Hiding the government’s failure on poverty
Thanks to Radio New Zealand, we now know that National got no real plan to address poverty, but also that they really, really don’t want to be honest about it.
Official advice on poverty
An excellent piece by Brent Edwards on Morning Report today, looking at official advice to the government on poverty. Underneath the politicised process the answer is as obvious as ever.