Hard News: Unwarranted risk
255 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 7 8 9 10 11 Newer→ Last
-
merc,
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10790559
This is much better, pets not fashion angle. -
Sacha, in reply to
the love affair renewed
-
Although I have to say to be fair to Armstrong, that the superficial stuff he sings the praises of in Key are very much the strong cards in Key's hand and a major part of his ongoing success, and his concluding comment about today's rooster being tomorrow's feather duster could be prophetic.
-
James W, in reply to
That’s not economics, it’s accounting:
You're right, that's what I get for making a Home Ec joke. And I didn't mean I didn't understand it, just that I find the language hard to understand. I mean:
"the forecast finance cost savings exceed the forecast foregone dividends"
just takes me a few reads to wrap around my right-side brain. I almost feel people like English word it that way intentionally, because if he explained it like you just did, no one would support him.
-
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
Although I have to say to be fair to Armstrong, that the superficial stuff he sings the praises of in Key are very much the strong cards in Key’s hand and a major part of his ongoing success,
Of course. Accentuate the positive and forgetabout any negatives and everything comes up smelling of roses. How could anyone think that nice Mr Key doesn't have concerns for fellow kiwis? For $324000.00, he now knows his moonbeam should purr happily because he is around and yes his wife believes whatever he says. Being relaxed about that, he probably knows all that after a bit of yoga and a prayer. And why would any redundant workers think he is anything but a chilled out guy. Bet they all aspire to be just like him. Such cheap advice. Did Shipley have anything to do with it, she's a bargain.
Now I need a bucket. ;) -
Anyone else find Len Brown's absence of concern this morning troubling? The ratepayers/shareholders interests come first; maximising profits is the only game in town; firing 300 employees and contracting out services is not his concern.
It was heartening to hear the listener feedback (medieval working conditions/I wish I could just dictate to the bank I want a 12% return) and realise many many NZers are wide awake vocally concerned.
Because our labour laws, stripped back, are revealed to offer no protection to anyone if their employer wishes to dispose of their services. The courts say as long as it's "disestablishment' and 'restructuring', managers must be 'free to manage' as they see fit- they don't have to justify any decision.
Talking to a South African recently, he said labour laws here seemed barbaric. I've been guilty of feeling a little superior to (white) South Africans on the barbarity of their institutions vs ours. Not so much now.
Do we still lead the world in following unvarnished neo-liberal ideology? Ouch. -
ScottY, in reply to
Do we still lead the world in following unvarnished neo-liberal ideology?
When it comes to neolib policies we're certainly "punching above our weight."
-
DexterX, in reply to
Len Brown - the morning report interview - his thinking is all at sea - he sounds quite the loon.
Red Alert sums it up well 29 Feb 2012:
http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/02/29/the-mayor-the-port-and-the-wharfies/It is a tragedy what has been allowed to happen - Len Brown in his own words.
“The issue is, there is a huge temptation for me to throw myself into the middle of this, and I could.
“As the mayor of this city I’ve got a mandate and we certainly have the power because the company is 100% owned by our council on behalf of you all, and so I could get in amongst that.Len Brown, Council Transcript PDF - this is linked to in Red Alert paged mentioned above..
The culmination of our Labour Laws is that for workers - your collective agreement ends - you don't accept casualisation and/or retrenchment of your terms and conditions -you are locked out and eventually out of work - your job goes to someone else.
The continual train wreck that results from the mismanagement of NZ economy continues.
-
The ITF Web is finally up to date with the latest developments. I'm still of the impression that PoAL management is seriously underestimating its enemy's friends in high places.
The international arm of the campaign is also escalating. ITF dockers’ section secretary Frank Leys said: “We are standing firmly by our New Zealand brothers and sisters in this dispute. We have requested a meeting with the High Commission in London and I will be sending a message to workers and Aucklanders to be delivered during Saturday’s rally to make sure those on the ground are assured of the international support they have.”
-
The untold half of the story…
Meanwhile…
Our old pal Failoil finds a guy that is devastated that Union members hid the “Bing Bong Balls” and took the Sky Card (paid for by the union) out of the decoder while he was working on the new improved minimum wage scab job.Which side are you on?.
-
nzlemming, in reply to
I commented on that Stuff thread about the PSA
You know what would be interesting? Fairfax checking the IP addresses of all the comments and reporting on the ones originating from the Beehive...
-
-
merc,
Facts wrong, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10790884
Why are all these people warring on us? -
Matthew Poole, in reply to
I'm still of the impression that PoAL management is seriously underestimating its enemy's friends in high places.
Well, becoming an international pariah will just allow them to rail further against the evils of socialised labour, all the while waving goodbye to shipping contracts as companies move their business to Tauranga.
It's a real shame that National are so thoroughly anti-rail/pro-truck, because the amount of shipping freight that's going to end up with Tauranga could be a strong incentive to upgrade the rail links. -
Matthew Poole, in reply to
The harold says support coming from many
Edging ever closer to a general strike. I would say I hope that National are cognisant of the risks associated with such a worker-hostile employment environment, but I can't help feeling that they're stoking the flames as a way of pushing through stronger anti-union provisions.
At least we have stronger controls on the use of military personnel as strike-breakers than existed in 1951, and a razor-thin majority in the House that would probably be an effective check on any such use.
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Well, becoming an international pariah will just allow them to rail further against the evils of socialised labour, all the while waving goodbye to shipping contracts as companies move their business to Tauranga.
So basically the effects of a trade war, but involving companies and workers instead of governments? It’d be ironic if financially globalist Wall Street toadies whinge about ‘foreign meddling’ in ‘domestic affairs’ – a kind of ‘market nationalism’ for lack of a better term. Carbon tariffs would have an even more pronounced effect.
The US Tea Party movement seems to lean that way, especially in regards to the Mexican border and anything related to Arabs.
-
Matthew Poole, in reply to
So basically the effects of a trade war, but involving companies and workers instead of governments?
Something like that, yes. If no vessel destined for or originating from POAL can be (un)loaded promptly, shippers will simply move their business to other ports that don’t have such a stigma.
Of course, if a general strike (or full strike of MUNZ members) eventuates there’ll be no workers at any port to do the unloading. -
There are 300 people that have been laid off yet the jobs are still there.
Prior to "all of this" POAL was returning 6% - with "all of this" including the contracting out to unskilled labour via AWF and others will POAL and Auckland City even get close to a 6% return as opposed to 12%?
That the POAL dispute has turned to the minefield is insanity as regards NZ Trade/Exports lead economy - the MFAT and other cuts - the Nats have never had it so easy.
Len Brown and Auckland City in asking for 12% and couldn’t see where this was going is mindless/witless.
David Shearer and Len Brown are not supporting the union/workers – their core constituency/voters – it doesn’t bode well for the next 3 to 6 years - They are neither for nor against the watersiders. This leaves them nowhere - which is the road NZ is on.
It is the beginning of the end of collective bargaining and the demise of the Labour Party – CTU should stop funding Labour – there is a need for a political party that supports working people, growth in the economy and is capable of providing leadership and solutions that are inclusive.
Presently NZ is being pruned back to nothing and the opposition voice is absent - Labour are looking to be National lite.
-
When the Howard Government attempted much the same kind of union-busting exercise back in 1998, NZ's 'reforms' were cited as an example of how increased efficiencies could be delivered.
Detailed figures for Auckland were used to show Sydney and Melbourne as comparatively inefficient. Opponents claimed that as NZ was effectively the end of the line, there was a lot less unloading and replacing of containers intended for other ports in order to access local stuff. And in hyper-efficient Singapore and Dubai they loaded things to suit themselves.
-
Rich of Observationz, in reply to
So, next time I need to move a lot of stuff to/from NZ, I can get it shipped to Singapore or Dubai, where the ports are more efficient and cheaper. I guess I'd just float it the rest of the way...
-
Whilst on the subject of Council...
This is what you get when you check out mobility parking in our fair City.
Frickin' hopeless.
(annotation is mine, in case you didn't guess) -
-
Sacha, in reply to
Did you click on the link immediately above that for the 'Access Auckland map'?
-
David Shearer and Len Brown are not supporting the union/workers – their core constituency/voters – it doesn’t bode well for the next 3 to 6 years - They are neither for nor against the watersiders. This leaves them nowhere - which is the road NZ is on.
Er, Shearer's been very clear about his disappointment in POAL & his support for the sacked workers. The Labour Party is very much behind the workers, for all that the support of an opposition party is worth. Which is basically the problem: Labour can't do anything but put out press releases, and you can't eat press releases.
Brown, on the other hand, is a worthless waste of space who seems intent on wasting the opportunity other people worked incredibly hard to give him. I doubt he'll find it easy to convince people to give him that chance again.
-
Can someone please point me to references/analysis at the time of Len Brown's election about who voted for him?
Post your response…
This topic is closed.