Speech notes from Helen Kelly’s address to the CTU Conference given today where she talks about the importance of the union movement and some of the achievements she has been involved in over the past few years.
The Government has admitted that at least some of the loopy rules mentioned by Paula Bennett in support of the Loopy Rules review do not actually exist.
If you still wonder WHY anyone would want to join a union, the fact that union members are 2.1 x more likely to get a pay rise might make you wade through the anti-union propaganda. Some unions escape scorn, like the Police Union which is referred to as an Association. It’s probably an oversight though, not anything deliberate…
Last night the Nats passed their widely ridiculed health and safety legislation. This morning a Waikato farm worker died in a workplace accident. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.
“John Key’s increasingly lacklustre defence of the shambles consists of answers that sound more like satire by the day.”
As the worm turns, the Nats are all over the place on health and safety. Andrew Little suggests that National is “terrified of the farming lobby”. Something sure has to explain the fact that they ended up fronting this crock.
A small sample of the reaction to National’s “health” and “safety” nonsense.
Apparently worm farms and mini golf ranges are dangerous places. And worm farmers playing mini golf are in grave peril.
Nanaia Mahuta is calling on the Māori Party to do the right thing for Māori workers and vote to strengthen the Health and Safety Reform Bill.
Unbelievable.
But wait there’s more . . . National Ltd™’s attitude to worker safety has, it seems, been successfully installed into the very government agency responsible for holding employers to account for worker deaths.
The CTU win in a private prosecution over a forestry worker’s death. Where was WorkSafe?
Deborah McMillan’s husband and Skyla McMillan’s dad Shane was killed in a workplace accident five years ago. They are part of a campaign to strengthen the currently weakened health and safety legislation.
The NBR’s annual list of the one percent is out. No surprises that the growing inequality in New Zealand is working well for the parasites at the top of the hill.
Labour is proposing a set of amendments to fix the Health and Safety Reform Bill. They need the support of Peter Dunne and the Māori Party. Will they do the right thing?
National Party delegates were greeted at their conference today by a sea of crosses representing the 291 workers who have died on the job since the Pike River disaster.
The CTU’s excellent campaign to get a stronger version of National’s post-Pike River Health and Safety law has produced this excellent video, and you can sign to support Iain Lees-Galloway’s amendments to improve the bill.
Can you help us share this clip? It’s powerful and about the reality of workplace deaths for families that suffer them. The health and safety law going through the Parliament will betray these families if it is changed as the Government is proposing.
Some strong stuff from Labour’s spokesperson for Labour, Iain Lees-Galloway, in Question Time yesterday.
Whenever unionists talk about the bad employers who put profit over people’s lives, the right wave it away as fear-mongering. Well, here it is straight from the horse’s mouth.
Bravo to those “big business” leaders who have come out in support of strong universal health and safety legislation. Shame on the Collins faction in Cabinet who are fighting to water it down.
Helen Kelly: “Sign our petition and tell John Key that you support better health and safety in workplaces!”
IN a breaking news update, the New Zealand Prime Minister has a revelation on Health and Safety
Tova O’Brien has written an excellent piece on squabbles within National over health and safety legislation, calling it a disgrace and a power-play by the Collins faction.
Helen Kelly and the CTU have done a great job raising the issues of workplace health and safety. Have they even got the attention of some Nats? Apparently there are delays to proposed changes as some in caucus resist.
Half the workplace deaths in NZ last year were in agriculture. Already this year the toll has been massive.
A really strange story has appeared on The Daily Blog. It claims to be a first person account of PM John Key regularly physically harrassing a staff member in his local cafe over the summer. While it may be much ado about nothing, the Prime Minister really should tell NZ his side of the story. Or resign if it’s true.
Update: It’s true. Key’s office has confirmed the harassment.
A July 2013 post by Helen Kelly was about Daniel Rockhouse who survived the Pike River Mine disaster, and then rescued Russell Smith. Yesterday Daniel Rockhouse got a bravery award. Read Kelly’s 2013 post here.
The Meatworkers Union today launch a campaign for Jobs That Count – to try to get better conditions for these marginalised workers who face it all – seasonal work, dangerous jobs, casual and zero hours contracts and anti-union pressure.
My condolences to those close to the victims of the horrific actions in Ashburton today.
Labour has today released its Work and Wages policy. An immediate lift to $15 in the minimum wage, and a raise to $16.25 in April next year. 90 day free sacking option for employers to go in first 100 days. Core public service to get the Living Wage first, others to follow. That’ll put some money where it’s most needed.
A guest post from Poto Williams, Labour’s MP for Christchurch East concerning her recent attendance at the Independent Forestry Safety Review consultation and her thoughts on what is happening in relation to safety in the sector.
The deaths of forestry workers are outrageous & sad. Helen Kelly has campaigned extremely well for change. An international day of remembrance yesterday, a procession on parliament today – a belated govt Bill that is an improvement, but does not go far enough.
Images from today’s mainstream media news: tales of class, crime, drugs, disasters…… and jet-setting beneficiaries.
We can now put a dollar figure – a conservative, probably-underestimated figure – on the cost of domestic violence to New Zealand business. […]
