We’re going to burn it all, until we burn it down.
What does it really mean to reduce NZ’s total fossil fuel use by 50% by 2030: a warm up discussion for an upcoming thought experiment.
Economy
workers’ rights
Make the TPP a Conscience Vote
Last week, Andrew Little gave Phil Goff permission to vote with National for the TPP. Bryan Bruce asks if it is time for all MPs to be given a conscience vote on the TPP.
Talley’s don’t want you to read this
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions has just launched its new digital campaigning site – Together
And their first campaign is focused on Talley’s
Logging truck roll overs meeting: Otaika Valley Hall tomorrow night!
A fully laden logging truck tears up the road like thousands of cars. And when they keep rolling over around the corner, locals get very nervous and upset for themselves and their kids.
Unemployment jumps
After eight long years of National there are almost 40,000 more unemployed than when they came to power.
Talleys Jump the Shark!
The truly awful Talley’s group have just taken NZ employment relations back a century or two by trying to get the Employment Court to gag the Meat Workers Union. Talley’s regard freedom of speech as a breach of good faith. They also want the union’s Darien Fenton barred from doing her job. Is it too soon to take Sir Peter Talley’s knighthood away from him?
Towards a new economic order
George Monbiot in the Guardian gives a precise and accurate description of neoliberalism and asks the question why has the left not come up with a modern alternative?
What tax evasion robs us of
An interesting piece in The Guardian looks at the costs of tax evasion, and how (in America) the missing funds could be used to fund a UBI.
Holding back our productivity
Our “business leaders” are doing an objectively poor job. Perhaps instead of insulting Kiwi workers as “pretty damned hopeless”, Bill English should be taking aim at these captains of industry.
Kiwi workers are pretty damned hopeless – says Bill English
National are now so convinced of their invulnerability that they have taken to actively insulting us. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
Bunnings has no heart
Bunnings management has insisted that a defibrillator bought by the workers at its Dunedin Store be given away to charity.
Easter Sunday
Hickey on the UBI
Bernard Hickey makes some excellent points on the Unconditional Basic Income / Guaranteed Minimum Income.
Glasses and Brick Walls (& woods and trees).
The thing about not having great sight is that sometimes you don’t really see things coming.
Bunnings trying for end run around employment law
Bunnings tries for an end run around employment law by using “paid volunteers”.
Compare and contrast: Little vs Corbyn on immigration
Andrew Little says that NZ should restrict foreigners working as chefs [Update: Not exactly, no]. Jeremy Corbyn says the focus of government should be on health and schools, not restricting immigrants.
Go, technology, inequality, the future of work
Miscellaneous Sunday morning meanderings on technology, inequality and the future of work.
Iain Lees-Galloway: We’re winning on zero hour contracts
Iain Lees-Galloway on Labour offering tentative support for the Employment Standards Legislation Bill.
The minimum wage is not a living wage
Credit where it’s due for an increase in the minimum wage – but the gap between that and a living wage keeps growing…
NZMWU scores $144,000 win against Talleys
For the Talley family, $144,000 is nothing, but the fine will sting because the Authority has ordered that it be paid to the Meat Workers Union.
Auckland bus drivers strike
The strike is an escalation of on-going industrial action designed to bring bus company bosses back to the negotiating table with more of a humanitarian, rather than fiscal, attitude to the plight of their workers.
Police illegally arrest and detain union officials
Its bad enough that workers’ rights and conditions are being crushed by National Ltd™ but now Police have joined in. Again.
What have the Unions ever done for us?
A video from the TUC in the UK explaining how important Unions are which is just as relevant for Aotearoa as it is for the UK.
Happy Mondayised holiday!
Thanks to David Clark, to Grant Robertson, to Labour, and to those who supported the bill…
Racist Talleys to Cancel Waitangi Day Holiday?
The Talley’s owned meatworks in Rangiuru is threatening to discipline workers and sue their union if workers choose to observe the Waitangi Day holiday tomorrow. How’s that Brighter Future working out, people?
NOW UPDATED! Hear what Talleys have to say.
Jobs and wages
Boring stuff about boring old jobs and wages.
Kelly interviewed by Campbell on RNZ Checkpoint
The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)
How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.
Robertson / Labour on the future of work
It’s a good thing that one of the major parties is thinking seriously about the future…
Gender Pay Gap: Average Wage Graph telling
Now maybe it’s because I’m a bloke, but looking at this graph I couldn’t help but think: wouldn’t it be better to close the pay gap for women by increasing their wages rather than decreasing men’s?
How to improve pay gender equality
It’s been a hardy annual finding of late – the pay gap between males and females is getting steadily worse. History suggests that Labour governments have some answers…
The mantra of ‘Poor Choices’
It is that time of year when poor people realise just how poor they really are – the season for giving, the season […]
Use of Teach First (NZ) illegal
To date, TeachFirst(NZ) has received more than $6.4 million dollars of public money and, as a result, has infested 18 schools with dozens of so-called “teachers”.
Deportee
Standard Exclusive:
Te Reo Putake interviews one of the first batch of deportees from Australia under the Liberal Government’s hardline approach to Kiwis who serve jail time in the lucky country.
Chris Cairns: Song of the Tall Poppy
The Chris Cairns trial verdict seems to have surprised Kiwis. And some people don’t seem to want to accept he is not a match fixer. Are we that fooled by modern media that our usual decency and sense of fair play has deserted us?
Jarrod Gilbert is tilting at windmills
The Official Information Act is now moribund and access to information beyond its scope is granted only to a chosen few and under strict conditions.