Key incoherent on pay cut plans
Following the revelation that John Key told a business audience “we would love to see wages drop“, bFM asked him to elaborate [MP3, […]
Economy
workers’ rights
MPs respond to Key’s wage drop wish
Following revelations that John Key told a business audience “we would love to see wages drop“, I sent an email to all 91 […]
The lucky country
I see the wage-gap is getting another airing on Stuff today, here’s the first few pars: While the gulf between New Zealand and […]
On the record
There are some out there claiming Key’s statement that he “would love to see wages drop” is out of character. Now I’m always […]
Bunnings workers strike to close wage gap
While media, politicians and the Kiwi blogosphere are arguing about the wage gap with Australia, around four hundred NDU members at Bunnings Warehouse […]
Doing the rounds
Looks like John Ansell’s finally got his mojo back. Hat tip: Ant.
Key resorts to “memory lapse” defense
So without Bill to run interference like he did in the House yesterday, John Key has resorted to the age-old “memory lapse” (aka […]
Key squirms under scrutiny in the House
Key’s comment that “we would love to see wages drop” to a group of business-people last year has come under increasing scrutiny in […]
John Key’s plan to cut your pay
“We would love to see wages drop”. You would think that given the simmering debate about our wage gap with Australia at the […]
National seeks to stop free speech
Vernon Small reports today that National party blogger David Farrar has taken out a complaint against the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union’s registration […]
The Dummies’ Guide to National’s wage policy
I never really understood how National planned to make wages grow because every time our man John Key is asked about our wage-gap […]
Say chee$e
At the supermarket earlier this week I was browsing the aisles and noticed the price of cheese. It seems now that for a […]
Solution to wage-gap in hands of business
Larger (but still small) numbers of kiwis are leaving for Australia and higher incomes are part of the attraction. At the same time […]
Unemployment at record low (again)
From Stuff: Growing numbers of women in the workforce pushed New Zealand’s unemployment rate down to a new record of 3.4 per cent […]
Tax cuts and the wage gap
News that 28,000 New Zealanders left for Australia last year has Business NZ, the Chamber of Commerce and the National Party predictably calling […]
EMA resorts to making stuff up
The Employers and Manufacturers Association has a new employment survey out today that aims to portray personal grievances as “way out of hand” […]
Damned if you do…
The Herald has an interesting article about shift work posted today pointing out the impact shift work has on workers’ families. The article […]
National disses minimum wage
National’s comments on the minimum wage show a party that has no answers on how to close the wage gap with Australia. Just […]
Minimum wage rises good for workers
Reports suggest that the government is set to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour. Coming toward the start of 2008, this […]
Progress on new superunion
The NZ Herald reports the Service and Food Workers Union, the National Distribution Union and Unite have agreed in principle to merge into […]
National and the wage gap
I see National’s complaining about the wage gap between New Zealand and Australia again. As usual they have no answers on what to […]
Petty politicking and the Xinyao tragedy
Reuters reports that the death toll from China’s Xinyao mine tragedy has now surpassed the 100 mark after 50 rescue workers were sent […]
Prats in the Nats on China’s miners
How’s this for small-minded prejudice from National Party backbencher Kate Wilkinson in a press release today complaining about the $84,000 dollars for a […]
Laila on unions
Laila Harre’s Bruce Jesson Memorial Lecture is now available in full over at Scoop. It’s titled Union Relevance in Aotearoa in the 21st […]
National’s hoax on unemployed workers
Last week Stats NZ announced unemployment had dropped to a record low of just 3.5%, after reaching double-digit figures under National in the […]
2008’s big issue?
An interesting piece in yesterday’s Molesworth and Featherston (off line): Labour will pick a fight over workplace law reform. Trevor Mallard is in […]
But what about wages?
NZCTU economist Peter Conway makes a good point about National’s spin in his latest Economic Bulletin. After highlighting the shonky statistics behind the […]
Labour: who’s gonna get it?
Coming into an election when work rights is going to be a major issue, we’ve heard Ruth Dyson will be relinquishing her labour […]
What have the unions ever done for us?
(Hat tip: Robert Owen – via comments)
National: it’s not worth the pay cut
The National Party are clearly worried. They’ve done pretty well so far with the populist rallying cry of tax cuts, but they always […]
First woman CTU president
Congratulations to Helen Kelly, the first woman to lead the Council of Trade Unions. Helen replaces Ross Wilson, who’s been CTU President since […]
Aussie workers worse off under Howard
A new report (PDF) by the University of Sydney shows Aussie workers are doing markedly worse under a Howard government. His desperate bid […]
National’s cynical attack on disabled workers
History tells us the Nats will use any excuse they can to undermine people’s work rights, but this is low even for them. […]
Port strike
In case anyone hasn’t noticed, the Ports of Auckland have been ground to a halt by strike action from 250 members of the […]
NDU, SFWU and Unite to form super-union
I was wondering when this was going to break. From Molesworth and Featherston this morning (offline, subscription only): Two private-sector unions are poised […]
Subway cheese conspiracy
Some of you might remember an incident at Subway in Dunedin earlier this year. A young woman who worked there was fired in […]