Get back to work, greedy teachers

Wow, a leading newspaper lashing the teacher’s unions. Secondary teachers’ union head Kate Gainsford wants today’s strike to be seen as being all about a Government that does not value teachers or education, and that is mucking her members about. There is a good reason she is doing that. Clothing its extravagant wage demands in…

Unions call for firing

The Unite union was outside TVNZ today, asking that Paul Henry be fired. Now, I agree with them that he should be. I’ve said that already. But could some one explain to me how this is an issue for a union? I’m a little unclear on how this relates to any sort of union business.

Good for the Goose….

Idiot is upset. … But amendments made by the select committee have gone further; rather than simply saying “unions must be democratic”, the bill is now all about allowing employers to challenge the legality of strike action for minor defects of process (as used to thwart strikes in the UK). “minor defects of process” –…

Is Unite bullying vulnerable businesses?

Keeping Stock posts an email to the UNITE union. Your concern for workers is understandable and well founded but your response has been ill conceived and lacking. The council has employed structural engineers to rate buildings based on green for all clear, yellow for access only in an emergency and red for no entry under…

Radiographers strike canceled

Good on the radiographers, who have this morning canceled their strike in order to help with the earthquake damage.

Union fails, quotes workers as disappointed

Kiwirail isn’t going to use it’s own workshops to build the electric trains for Auckland. KiwiRail chief executive Jim Quinn met staff in Dunedin yesterday to break the news the workshop would not be bidding for the contract to build 38 three-car, electric multiple units (EMUs) and 13 electric locomotives as part of Auckland’s $500…

Unemployment – Tremain

It’s the minimum

In all this fuss about the minimum wage being raised (or rather, kept up with inflation) most people seem to have missed the point. But that is not the point of the minimum wage. It is the minimum. It is not meant to be a comfortable wage. It sets the point for the cheapest unskilled…

Unions Attack!!!

This would be comical if it weren’t so thuggish. Balzano disparaged altruistic efforts in city parks and asserted that “there is (sic) to be no volunteers” since his union members were laid off. He then issued a witch hunt threat: “We’ll also be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails.…

The Standard Slip – how much does it show?

I was thinking about this quote from The Standard as shown on Kiwiblog. Business New Zealand and other assorted tossers. Stop calling our country ‘New Zealand Inc’. This is our home. This is where we live our lives and raise our families. It’s not some profit-maximising engine for your shareholders. Now, it’s a funny own-goal…