The Council of Trade Unions' complaint about police behaviour towards the Waterfront Workers' Union protestors in the South Island Port dispute is flagrant politicking, National Industrial Relations spokesperson Max Bradford said today.

"The fact is that, through its disruptive picketing, the Waterfront Workers' Union is impeding the legitimate activities of Mainland Stevedoring and its staff.

"Senior Police officers have now confirmed widespread reports about the intimidation tactics by some Waterfront Workers' Union members.

"If the CTU really wanted to help to resolve such disputes it would get control of members and put a stop to the sort of 1950s heavy-handed tactics endorsed by the Waterfront Workers' Union.

"The CTU should let Police administer the law as it is and stop trying to use law enforcers in their political game," Max Bradford said.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>