24 May 2004

Inland Revenue response to NUPE members' strike action: suspension notices issued

Inland Revenue today confirmed that it has issued suspension notices to two members of its staff. The staff members, who are NUPE members, have been engaged in strike action for two weeks.

The Department has asked the employees concerned on a number of occasions to return to full normal duties. The decision to suspend them has been taken only after careful consideration.

Inland Revenue has been negotiating in good faith with NUPE (the National Union of Public Employees) for more than 18 months in an attempt to reach a collective employment agreement.

NUPE represents about 38 employees, out of Inland Revenue's total workforce of approximately 5,000. The terms and conditions being offered by Inland Revenue to NUPE members for a collective agreement are consistent with other Inland Revenue staff.

Inland Revenue employees who are NUPE members have not been asked to do anything unreasonable or inconsistent with their current employment agreements.

ENDS

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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>>