Matt McCarten's new job

The more I consider Matt McCarten's appointment as Labour's Chief of staff, the more upset and angry I feel.

The prospect of any unionist promoting the fortunes of a smarmy pampered careerist like David Cunliffe is chunderous, but that is the least of it.

The most prominent left union official in the country has signed on with the main political force in the country binding workers to capitalist ideology.

Matt is now charged with helping to spread political deception which will hurt the working class. Such as the Labour lie that universal super at 65 is unaffordable.

Matt is now part of a political machine which ensures workers freedom to strike is severely restricted by law and that illegal strikes may be punished by fines and imprisonment.

Matt is now joined at the hip with a party absolutely committed to militarism and imperialism. That is not to mention Labour's reactionary record on immigration, health, restructuring, social welfare, taxation and just about any other issue affecting workers.

Of course Matt is not the first union officlal to join the Labour party staff, nor even the first leftist official to do so.

But he is one of a rare breed of union officials with a record of politically opposing Labour from the left.

New Zealand has long suffered a low level of class struggle and an even lower level of political debate.

In such a climate, unionists prepared to resist the capitalist Labour party are of great value to the working class.

With Matt's departure, the tiny ranks of such unionists have been further diminished.

ENDS

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