Twopenneth on MMP and Class
A contribution to the current discussion of MMP and the next election.
Economy
workers’ rights
Why is everybody talking about tax and fiscal holes?
The most important issue for New Zealanders is inflation and the cost-of-living yet National and its Dirty Workers want us to talk and think about tax all the time.
Nicola Willis high on a surplus of inflation and unemployment
The PREFU reveals an approaching Nicola Willis surplus based on inflation and fiscal drag. It has nothing to do with economic growth. Meanwhile our young adults are experiencing the joys of very high and sustained unemployment. The same kind of environment that stunted the generation in National’s recession of the 1990s. This time we have a rapidly ageing population. And Nicola Willis in fantasy land.
Labour will guarantee a job for graduate nurses
“Nurses who trained here should be able to work here. A good job. A future here at home. Better starts now.” – Chris Hipkins
Green Party calls for union membership as default setting for new employees
“Workers deserve the right to safe, fair and decent work, and being automatically a part of a collective is one of the best ways to ensure their rights will be fought for.”
No tears for Starmer
An MI6 plant in my opinion. A hollow man, deeply duplicitous, a Zionist warmonger whose only job was to expunge the Labour left. He will not be missed or regretted.
Reformism or bust?: Making the best of a bleak future
Some initial ideas about the integrated policy package Labour must consider if it is to meet contemporary challenges posed by emerging populism and the narrowing of the Labour vision over the past five decades
The Government wants to make workers more unsafe
Stand with Pike representatives have submitted to the Government that its proposed changes to worker safety laws will make people less safe at work.
Destroying Business 2025
This government has an appalling record of large scale business closures, which continue to damage the careers of thousands of New Zealand workers.
PSA: Help Us Now – 23,000 Home Support Workers Hit By Petrol Price Hikes Urge Govt. To Act
“There are 23,000 home support workers on low wages who look after our most vulnerable people – the elderly, disabled and injured – every single day who need help urgently, right now. They deserve better than being left to foot the bill” – Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA
Should job hiring be fair and transparent?
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
“Surprise” unemployment high masks more damaging developments
Unemployment hits 5.4% in the December quarter, but that doesn’t include the 140,000 plus Kiwi citizens that have fled in the last 2 years
This National-led Government is the best mis-manager of the economy
When the coalition is treating the economy as a game, are they having fun?
Green Shoots, Anyone?
There is no evidence of immediate improvement in our economy, or of this government improving it.
Who would have thunk that slashing Health IT budgets would result in IT outages
A year after the Government slashed a third of Health IT jobs the Auckland hospital system has suffered a massive IT outage.
NZ First repeals Foreign Home Buyers Ban Under Urgency, Late At Night, During X’mas Period
PLUS: Brooke Van Velden overturns historic Supreme Court Uber ruling, after Uber lost their appeal unanimously last month
Privatisation and Plunder
Privatisation and Plunder is essential reading for those who want to work for a society where prosperity for all is the aim.
“National is Getting NZ Back on Track”?
That’s the headline of the pamphlet in the letterbox. But from their own measures is that true?
Stand with Pike – preserve Health and Safety at Work
On the 15th anniversary of the Pike River disaster Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse will today be speaking to Brook van Velden about the need to preserve and strengthen safety at work laws.
Labour Day: the working class and civil emergencies
On this Labour Day, a massive shout out to all the workers in Southland, Otago and other areas affected by the storms last week. Paid and volunteer, obvious and those in the background doing support for the frontline workers.
Stuff’s Lloyd Burr infers striking workers are puppets
Burr unironically asks: “Politics or pay – what’s really behind the mega strike?” without understanding all action is political, and that unions are made up of individual workers who vote
Judith Collins’ Open Letter Is Dirty Politics
The senior National Party Cabinet Minister has penned an “Open letter to the people of New Zealand” on the New Zealand Government’s official website
Simeon Brown threatens doctors as mega strike looms
An exodus of professionals are leaving – with Kiwi citizens fleeing at levels we haven’t seen in 24 years. These incl. community GPs, doctors & nurses – and Simeon is going after those that remain
Hayek’s Acolytes and History’s Judgement
While we should acknowledge Jim Bolger’s life of service to New Zealand we should also recognise the critical and continuing damage done to New Zealand by his government.
Van Velden pressures ERA to reduce worker compensation payments
Brooke Van Velden has announced the appointment of four new members to the Employment Relations Authority and has expressed the wish that compensation payments to workers will be reduced.
No mandate for this
Partial strike law penalties used on nurses trying to keep themselves safe is emblematic of the wider libertarian playbook within the NZ government
How was National able to take down construction so quickly?
Industry experts say Chris Bishop and his party are to blame, but Bishop denies it, saying construction industry leaders are just “wrong”
Was it Luxon’s idea to cancel pay equity claims under urgency?
A recent dump of papers relating to the cancellation of the Pay Equity scheme suggest that Christopher Luxon was the primary driver behind the decision to do this under urgency.
The ultimate Fuck you, to your neighbours, the community and the environment. Private helicopters!
Again, we were woken up by a bunch of hoodrats drifting on the intersection by our house. Great clouds of smoke and lots of noise. As you do at three o clock in the morning, my brain started tying this together with recent articles about private helicopters in urban areas, and other forms of antisocial “Fuck You’s” to the rest of us.
Work will not be so safe
Brooke Van Velden has announced changes to Workplace safety laws that will see prosecutions of Employers decrease but prosecutions of workers start.
Migration: the spectre at the feast
The challenge posed by migration pressures is real and often underestimated. They are greater today than ever before in modern history.
The Peoples’ Select Committee on Pay Equity
In very bad news for the Government former National MP Marilyn Waring has announced that she will be doing something the Government did not do, organise hearings to consider the Government’s sabotaging of Pay Equity.
Our growing stress is everywhere
We don’t know where this country is going and it’s getting worse.
The Coalition Continues to Defund Science
Another science fund bites the dust in New Zealand.
Louisa Wall – This Is Not Feminism – It’s Fiscal Evasion Dressed in Lipstick
Louisa Wall eviscerates Government claims about pay equity.
Get ready for the Regulatory Standards Bill
Following on from the undermining under urgency of the current Pay Equity scheme the Government intends to introduce the Regulatory Standards Bill which if passed would have a significant adverse effect on collective rights and environmental action.