Hard News: Unwarranted risk
255 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 6 7 8 9 10 11 Newer→ Last
-
BenWilson, in reply to
The thing he is responsible for, however, is the Auckland Council's demand for a 12% return on assets.
So yeah, I suspect things are getting a wee bit complicated for Len right now.
Yup, there's a much bigger picture than that 12% for him to think about, and even within such a narrow constraint there's good reason for concern. Union busting activity, and intensified industrial action could go very sour for the business of the port. Not just the port either, but all the businesses that rely on the smooth operation of it, a very large number of which are in Auckland.
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Yup, there’s a much bigger picture than that 12% for him to think about, and even within such a narrow constraint there’s good reason for concern. Union busting activity, and intensified industrial action could go very sour for the business of the port.
Especially if the ITF hauls out its port-of-convenience ICBM. Still no update on the ITF website, most likely due to timezone issues (it’s HQ’ed in London).
-
stephen walker, in reply to
that blog post is six days old. why haven't Auckland Councilors put up a resolution demanding that ACIL and POAL comply with their obligation under the Local Government Act 2002? the only sacking that needs to be done is by Auckland Council of non-complying ACIL directors.
-
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
Thanks for that link. A petition is there if anyone is interested. A piece of my Auckland heart breaks off every day and I will blame this Government and it's ways. Is the protest up Q street this weekend?
-
Well explained. Rich of Understanding
-
nzlemming, in reply to
Gold has no intrinsic use
It's a bloody good electrical conductor and it doesn't corrode. Which is why computers have enough in them to be worth harvesting when they're junked.
So it does have intrinsic use. What it doesn't have is intrinsic value
Edit: Oh snap, Richard Stewart. Read the whole thread, Mark...
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Is the protest up Q street this weekend?
It looks the part. And it looks like a show of global solidarity too.
-
Chocks away here goes.
Something Len and other Councillors, who are allegedly left (left of centre or who purport to be concerned about the plight of workers and their families) could have done is get Council as a whole to reconsider the decision to ask for 12% and Len could have grown some gonads shown leadership and appealed to both parties POAL and the union to continue to meet in good faith on the basis that POAL don’t lock out or make the workers redundant – until Council reviews the decision – Len could have promoted this approach as being in the wider interests of Auckland and in the National interest to keep the Auckland Port working.
Len appears to be basically saying, “It is not in my job description” – what a lame cock he has become or always was. What is the defining moment of his mayoralty thus far?
I am mindful the situation is being dealt out by the same (sort of) people at local and central govt who gave us the RWC opening fiasco and the mammoth super city merger overruns.
I would like to see some form of opposition be it the press by OIA, Labour, NZ First, Mana or someone investigate and publish the core of the Council decision to ask for the 12% return – was a feasibility study or review done to ensure that this goal was achievable and the what achieving the 12% entailed – what was required to get the return – was it based in reality – did the Council and the Mayor sign off on a default position/direction to POAL of – “How do we get 12%?”, “I don’t know”, “Lets phuck the watersiders”, – “OK good plan” – “Go for it” – “All in Favour?”
I feel the union has been set up and under what I suspect was the guidance of CTU Prez walked right into it – Helen Kelly and fiasco seem to go hand in hand – the union hasn’t perhaps seen what was really at stake. The union should have played a different game.
Was the figure of the 12% POAL return requirement pulled out of the same dark murky dung covered recess using the same black ops methods as the pre-election opening the books bullshit statements and the recent Bill English statements – guessing or misguided optimistic outlooks with no foundation.
I am well tired of general thrust that was NZ under the Lange/Douglas & Bolger Richardson govts where the climate of work and the provision of “public service” was driven generally by management/cabinet expectations that were not founded in reality or had regard to the public interest. A situation where everyone except management types were beaten up to achieve a sub optimal outcome – the over reliance on consultants etc, etc – Yet here we as a nation at this very same place being forced to drink the same old cup of cold sick and it is promoted as a cure – asset sales and all.
The POAL was working well, the staffs were paid performance bonuses and the operation of the port was by all accounts competitive internationally and a success.
The economy felt to me like it was showing signs of recovery.
It is a mindless waste and the reasons advanced for the dispute are IMHO bullshit, bullshit is about to prevail. Another set of terms and condition and something that worked well has gone for good.
-
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
gone for good.
Mean while Nurses, Caregivers, Meat Workers,and it is suggested Public service,with Police on the horizon.The wharfies are only lucky in that the world's wharfies supports them. As in the states, we will begin to see Tent cities of the working homeless. Contracted out employment is no job security. It can be on a daily basis that you have work. Nek minit... :(
-
Rob Stowell, in reply to
bullshit is about to prevail
Yep. Plenty where I work, too. We're in for a tough couple of years. The unions are about the only organised opposition to unfettered free market rule. The Bosses are determined this is their moment. Cult of management, trickle-down bullshit and look carefully at your rights- they might be disappearing.
As the man said- "Organise!" -
Kumara Republic, in reply to
The Bosses are determined this is their moment. Cult of management, trickle-down bullshit and look carefully at your rights- they might be disappearing.
To those who get locked out - look no further than the Synovate dispute, where the union cleverly turned a lockout into a bossnapping. Even the pioneering French never figured that out.
-
And the joint union-business call for what is effectively co-determination, while well-reported on Stuff/Fairfax and 3News, is glaringly absent from the Granny (at least in its online daily edition).
-
DexterX, in reply to
To those who get locked out - look no further than the Synovate dispute
However - those that have been locked out by POAL have now been made redundant.
-
merc,
Consultants against democracy.
-
From the herald - The Auckland Super City via POAL have money to burn - likely near on $20 million - being 8 mill in lost revenue and 11.5 Mill redundancy payouts - never mind the other laudable other funding goals and projects ( the train set) Len wants to pursue.
But Mr Brown said his hands were tied by legislation and it would be "absolutely inappropriate for me to jump into disputes or run the port out of the mayor's office."
Showing leadership and taking a wider view to facilitate a solution is "absolutely inappropriate" - could he explain how so with what is at stake.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10790557
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10790553
-
merc,
But Mr Brown said his hands were tied by legislation and it would be "absolutely inappropriate for me to jump into disputes or run the port out of the mayor's office."
Jump on in Mr Brown , your bosses are,
Government intervention into commercial markets first came to public attention with the largely opaque deal with Warner Bros studios to secure production for Sir Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, with John Key negotiating industrial law change and a $20 million sweetener, on top of the $100 million subsidy.
Last year it was revealed the Government had extended a loan so that several radio stations could pay off their payment to the Crown for radio frequencies.http://www.nzherald.co.nz/media-publishing-industry/news/article.cfm?c_id=707&objectid=10790533
Who are your bosses again? -
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
I can't find a way to even email Len Brown,other than filling out a form of complaint and they will get back to you next week. I'm going to go down to the rally in Britomart on Saturday and see what the watersiders have to say.
-
Hmmm I own a company and install a CEO to manage it.
Said CEO behaves like a reprehensible neanderthal.
I a) boot CEO and replace him with a human being
or b) have lunch -
merc,
I install CEO to cover my butt, then have lunch.
-
And it seems the redundancy payouts fail economics forever. All $11.5 million of it.
-
merc,
Redundancy delivers more than 12%?
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
And the joint union-business call for what is effectively co-determination, while well-reported on Stuff/Fairfax and 3News, is glaringly absent from the Granny (at least in its online daily edition).
It's weirdly absent.
Edit: Ah. The alliance was noted in the Herald on Feb 17. No report on the drafting of the charter this week though.
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
It’s weirdly absent.
Something for the Granny's three Brians (Rudman, Fallow & Gaynor) to expand upon. Right. Now.
-
merc,
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10790446
This John's too busy, being well, just weird. -
BenWilson, in reply to
This John's too busy, being well, just weird.
Yes, I kept expecting him to point out that Key has better fashion sense, followed by an Oscar night analysis of the attire in the house.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.