The Greens’ Industrial Strategy: Green Jobs Guarantee and Ministry of Green Works
New Zealanders should be in control of our economy, our jobs and our future. We don’t need to leave our fate to be decided by international shareholders
Economy
workers’ rights
Winston’s war on wokeness
In what looked like an early election campaign launch Winston Peters has done his old man shaking his fist at the sky tirade against everything woke.
Reasons for Optimism
We’re good, but we know we want better leadership.
NZ Science is in Big Trouble
Science and tertiary education are being ignored in NZ, which is just dumb.
Going for poverty: National’s new procurement rules
Nicola Willis is picking a fight with unions and environmental groups by proposing changes to Government procurement rules that would do away with environmentally beneficial policies and the requirement to pay the living wage.
Climate change?
Chris Hipkins has released his priorities should he be Prime Minister. They do not include addressing climate change.
Repaired RSS feed highlights minister’s failing portfolios
Last week, I pointed out that Internal Affairs under Act Minister Brooke van Velden, had managed to lose RSS communications from the Beehive to the world. It’d been offline for about three weeks at that point. That was just sloppy and incompetent for the DIA who amongst other things are responsible for overseeing government technology services.
Good as gold
A fascinating expose from Michael Hudson on the causes and implications of the recent rise in the price of gold. When Nixon took the US dollar off the standard in 1971 you could get an ounce for $35. Not now; Hudson explains why.
Most kiwis blame Willis for Ferry Fiasco
Recent polling suggests that two thirds of kiwis disagree with Nicola Willis’s decision to cancel the replacement Inter Island ferries contract.
America would never happen here!
Why corporate fascism may no longer be a distant dream – and how it’s closer than you might think
President Biden’s Accomplishments
It’s common these days to see the rapid 2024 exit of multiple global social democrat leaders as just a post-COVID symptom of democratic impatience. But Biden achieved far more than his age-related decline obscures.
2024 in review
It is that time of year when during the brief hiatus of civilisation known as the holidays we get the time to reflect on what has happened over the past 12 months.
Wage theft – now that is a real crime
In Australia, the Fair Work Act is enhanced to provide for jail time and large fines for individuals and companies who deliberately indulged in wage theft. It is a Federal act with investigative powers. Our members ‘Theft by Employers’ bill looks pathetic by comparison. But worth passing in its 3rd reading. It would be a “real tough on crime” act – not weak like Mark Mitchell’s tee-shirt snatch.
Labour day
Enjoying your weekend? Thank a unionist!
10,000 across the country meet to push back against government policies (PHOTOS)
Here are photos of the union protest around the country yesterday.
Notice: Protest Locations Today
Today is Protest Day – Stand Together. Here are the locations around the country and why you might feel moved to join.
Doomed?
“We’re doomed” was Private Frazer’s inevitable response to any crisis in “Dad’s Army”. One might stray into such despondency when considering the external context in which New Zealand finds itself, then considering what we are doing as a nation to respond. Nigel Haworth looks at where we are at.
Where’s the “Oomph”?
Join us to protest privatisation of health on the 23rd October. But can we have more oomph and co-ordination please?
Unions are still relevant
Unions have fought for the rights of employees in the past, present, and future.
Gormless Government releases confidential legal advice on Charter School law
The Government has mistakenly released confidential legal advice confirming that the Charter School legislation breaches ILO conventions, free trade agreements and potentially the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
Where Does Labour Rebuild?
It won’t come from the working class. But we know where it will come from.
NZ: No jobs, expensive housing, time to leave
It gets rather depressing reading the statistics on National’s induced recession as they steadily push New Zealand into stagflation. The Reserve Banks unplanned OCR decision last week wasn’t a hopeful sign. We’re in for a few years of a National led and created recession. Get out while you still can
Maritime Union v Willis
National’s decision to cancel the replacement Cook Strait ferry project is developing into a full blown political crisis for the Government with estimates that it could cost the Crown up to a billion dollars and with further costs to come.
PSA wins an important case about collective agreements
The PSA just won an important case in the Employment Relations Authority against the Ministry of Education about collective agreements. There are significiant downstream implications to planned layoffs, legal fights, and Nicola Willis’s already tax cut strained budget.
Sham consultation – sham contracting
Minister for Workplace Relations and Health & Safety Brooke van Velden hasn’t met with the CTU Te Kauae Kaimahi since November last year. And has announced major proposed changes to workers rights and job conditions.
The political centre has moved, someone should tell the strategists.
30 years ago, we had Dot Matrix printers, Windows 95 and brick cell phones. Today we live in a world of AI, Tik Tok and 5G. While technology changes have been embraced, including in political campaigns, strategies and methods to connect with voters seem stuck in the MS-DOSS era.
Gotta pay for those tax cuts for landlords somehow
What is the lowest most disgraceful thing this Government has done? How about cutting funding for top ups of the wages of disabled workers aimed to get them to the living wage?
Safer streets or unsafer streets?
The Government is planning to reverse Labour’s previous policy relating to permanent safe speeds around schools. The change will decrease safety and walking and cycling and increase car use. And the upside is?
Health & safety of workers is apparently about Cones
The Government’s latest announcement about worker safety is about business, not people.
Speech time
In the past week Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have both delivered future vision themed speeches. With some dramatic contrasts.
A Deliberate Recession
It is sickening to see how economic power is being used against ordinary New Zealanders right now.
Are we drifting away or falling apart?
What is the antidote for our socio-economic problems and how do we deal with this coalition government?
MPs pay increases
The Remuneration Authority has announced that MPs will be getting a 10% increase in their salaries during the course of this Parliament.
National only wants to help tenants *
* get evicted more easily.
Back on Track?
National campaigned on the promise of getting the country back on track. How is it going?
Uber Drivers in Court of Appeal
Uber Drivers are in the Court of Appeal today. Uber is appealing against Employment Court decision they they are employees with worker rights. Its a no-brainer, so they are and should have them.