Economy

workers’ rights

Health and Safety Rep Training – a cut by any other name

Written By: Helen Kelly
Date published: - 140 comments

I couldn’t give a rats arse about Jordan Williams and his new little Act campaigning vehicle against the State, but I do care about health and safety and the manner in which some of the media have run his latest little ruse against training health and safety representatives in the workplace is a disgrace. Judith Collins has used it as a cover to announce the end of worker health and safety training by unions beyond this year, leaving workers unable to access the powers under the Health and Safety Act to issue hazard notices and represent their workmates.

Down among the women: limits of ‘growth’

Written By: karol
Date published: - 97 comments

The GDP measure fails to account for life sustaining activities outside paid employment.  Women do the majority of such unpaid work.  A gender blind approach to financial crises is socially and economically destructive.   An alternative, cooperative social and economic model would attend to gender and other diversities.

Poverty denial

Written By: karol
Date published: - 230 comments

Here & in the UK: food poverty, increases in queues to foodbanks, in diseases of poverty, a crisis in affordable housing, & struggles & insecurites of the working poor. But poverty denialists blame the poor, smear beneficiaries, & talk of (always-around-the-corner) “brighter futures”.

America is becoming a third world nation

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 194 comments

It appears that America is becoming rich in name only as more and more of its people in jobs rely on state assistance to make ends meet.  And many of these jobs are in highly profitable industries such as the Banks and Wal Mart where people at the top of those organisations make huge amounts.  And the payments are a drain on the State’s finances and prevent it from funding important things such as asset renewal and education.

In the shadow of Savage

Written By: karol
Date published: - 17 comments

25 December is a good day to visit historic sites.  Yesterday I visited the Savage Memorial in Auckland.  Political heritage in today’s environment.  A memorial for workers? Remember the Savage government!  Remember the Bastion Point protests!  Lessons for today?

Thank you ….

Written By: karol
Date published: - 34 comments

To all those making a difference and working for a more inclusive, equal, fair and sustainable society. Special thanks to Lynn for all his work for The Standard.

Not the brighter future….

Written By: karol
Date published: - 32 comments

Articles in the Sunday papers online, showing John Key’s “brighter future” is only for the well off, while more people than ever are struggling to get by.

A Tale of Two Cities

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 91 comments

It was the best of times in Wellington today. Council workers will get a living wage, and parking wardens will become council employees so they will get decent pay also. It was the worst of times in Auckland as the right-wing Scrooges having failed to remove Mayor Len Brown took it out on their workers by overturning his call for a living wage for Council staff.

How has the year been for you?

Written By: karol
Date published: - 145 comments

The government &  many of its cheerleaders are joining in a re-vitalised chorus of a brighter future right around the corner of “Christmas cheer”. Many Kiwis are struggling with the realities of poverty.  How was your year on the inequality scale?

The Good and the Bad: NZ screen industry

Written By: karol
Date published: - 77 comments

The NZ government changes to NZ’s screen industry incentives is a mixed bag. Some (not fully developed) support for a sustainable NZ industry. Selling out NZ workers; bowing to Hollywood corporate, neo-colonial values.

What happened to the working class?

Written By: karol
Date published: - 175 comments

In post WWII UK, working class people were gaining a stronger voice in public life.  Then came Thatcher and middle class capture of politics & the media.  Something similar happened in NZ.  How can those on low incomes and/or from the working classes gain a stronger voice in NZ politics?

Summer service: the real economy

Written By: karol
Date published: - 47 comments

The summer holiday period is a time when consumerism is rampant, contradicting the traditional Christian message .  It adds pressure to those already struggling, especially those with young families. Places to support via time, donations, gifts, etc.

The party I will vote for ….

Written By: karol
Date published: - 157 comments

… will be one that has effective policies to make a more equal, inclusive and democratic society, will seriously address the concerns of those least well-off, and not just pander to the concerns of people on (comfortable) middle incomes.Values in need of a slogan?

On Pike

Written By: Helen Kelly
Date published: - 97 comments

The decision announced today (but made when?) to withdraw the charges against Pike CEO Peter Whittall cannot be left to rest. When did […]

Pike River – Charges against Peter Whittall withdrawn

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 45 comments

The charges that Peter Whittall faced concerning the Pike River deaths have been withdrawn.  And he and the then directors of Pike River are paying $3.4 million compensation to the victims families.  While it is pleasing for the families to receive some compensation for their loss does the sanctity of our justice system require that the prosecutions should have continued?

Labour shoot themselves in the foot, again!

Written By: KJT
Date published: - 247 comments

Just when you begin to think Labour are looking like a Government, one of the has-beens from the Rogernomics era, again! shows that they have NFI how to get elected and they are still clinging desperately to the Neo-liberal paradigm.

The value of Sick Leave

Written By: Ben Clark
Date published: - 109 comments

Business NZ says sick leave costs us $1.26 billion per year.  Some might say that illness costs us more than that, and that’s business paying their share, to look after their employees which will benefit the business in the long run.

Census 2013: increase in inequality

Written By: karol
Date published: - 26 comments

NZ Census 2013 shows a widening income gap: rises for the haves; more struggle for the have nots.  Gains for women in education and some in the highest income brackets; more struggle for those on low incomes, especially beneficiaries impacted by Bennett’s punitive welfare reforms. Welcome to Key’s “Brighter Future”.

Tin ear or cold heart?

Written By: Eddie
Date published: - 239 comments

Since he came to office, John Key’s government has spent over $350 billion (and borrowed over $50 billion). It has handed out taxpayer largesse to casinos, rich sailors, finance companies, and international corporations. So, why the blunt refusal to pay just $3.4 million to the Pike families and lean on the shareholders to get the cash back? Tin ear or cold heart?

The right thing to do

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 23 comments

David Cunliffe has pledged that the next Labour government will pay the court-ordered compensation owed to the families of the disaster’s victims, and […]

Poverty, women & rape culture

Written By: karol
Date published: - 132 comments

In our highly gendered socio-economic system that has institutionalised poverty, gendered violence, sexual violence and rape culture, low income women are multiply disadvantaged.  Trigger warning: This post addresses some difficult and sensitive issues about poverty, women and rape culture. Subsequent comments will be tightly moderated.

Key refuses to pay compensation for Pike River

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 120 comments

John Key this week ruled out any Government contribution to compensation ordered to be paid by Pike River to the deceased miners’ families despite a strong suggestion by Judge Farrish that this should occur.  Now that the photo opportunities have finished and the effect of the corporate PR spin has worn off the Government’s handling of the issue appears to be deeply cynical and totally unjust.

‘Locked Up Warriors’: 101 East

Written By: karol
Date published: - 95 comments

On 101 East on Al Jazeera. Too many people in NZ prisons, especially Maori: too many in poverty; too much money spent on prisons; not enough for low income communities; some very good community initiatives. Is this a fair representation?

English says higher wages mean better results

Written By: James Henderson
Date published: - 52 comments

National’s been working hard to keep wages down for the 5 years. They’ve weakened union laws, introduced fire at will, opposed $15 minimum wage and the living wage. And it’s worked: 46% of workers got no raise last year, another 18% got less than a 2% raise. 5 years ago, 59% got a raise above 2%. Strangely, though, English says high wages are good for the economy.

Sir Edmund Thomas: “Reducing Inequality” – new ‘Values’

Written By: karol
Date published: - 29 comments

Sir Edmund Thomas’s recent Bruce Jesson Lecture is now online.  He argues for a need to reduce inequalities, via a change in values away from those directed by “neoliberal” economics, & for a struggle from “below”.  Is this intended to soften capitalism & not replace it?

The anti-democrats NZ tea party

Written By: karol
Date published: - 82 comments

From the ranks of those working in the murky depths of dirty, disgusting and despicable politics, comes a piss take of a “union” of “taxpayers”, to lobby against a fair, democratic, caring and inclusive state and for the already greedy and powerful.

On the waterfront: art & politics

Written By: karol
Date published: - 81 comments

Auckland authorities disrespected past worker struggles in allowing an art work on the waterfront, that commemorates the ruthless suppression of the 1913 strike. After protests, it has now been covered.  Time for the many to unite for fairness at work & in daily living!

Outsourcing poverty: Paula Bennett’s shame

Written By: karol
Date published: - 51 comments

A charity is taking on the funding of the essential work on monitoring poverty, in the face of Paula Bennett, Bill English and John Key et al failing to do their job: a return to Dickensian & Edwardian times.

Happy Labour Day

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 14 comments

From the movement that brought you equal pay,  the weekend, minimum wages, child protection laws, injury prevention,  the right to organise …

Is society collapse and inequality linked?

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 61 comments

US mathematician Peter Turchin believes that mathematics can predict events such as the recent constitutional crisis in America and has constructed a model based on social and economic data that he believes predicts periods of instability and disaster for nations.  This work shows the negative side of inequality and neatly compliments the work of Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett in the Spirit Level that showed the benefits of increased equality.

Because it’s all about “me”

Written By: karol
Date published: - 22 comments

Cunliffe talked of moving from a “from a cost-based to a values-based” strategy. We need a new narrative: valuing all, including children of those on benefits; about long term benefits for all of less inequality & poverty, and more affordable housing & better public transport, & more.