Alliance Party supports Ports of Auckland workers

Sunday, 12 February 2012, 3:36 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Alliance Party

Alliance Party Media Release – For Immediate Release – February 11, 2012

Alliance Party supports Ports of Auckland workers in pay struggle

The Alliance Party has added its voice to the Maritime Union of New Zealand’s call for public support for Ports of Auckland workers to keep their jobs.

“It will be a very grim day for New Zealanders if the Ports of Auckland is allowed to make workers redundant and contract out work at the port,” says Alliance Party Co-Leader Kay Murray.

“Since when has it been a problem for workers to have secure well paid jobs? The Ports of Auckland CEO should be proud of the existing wages and working conditions of his staff, not waging war with them. Contracting out will mean private contractors compete to do the work at the lowest price but still make a decent profit for their company directors and shareholders,” said Ms Murray.

The Alliance believes that New Zealand has been in a race to the bottom for wages and conditions for the last 20 years. The party believes that only a fight back by workers can now redress this imbalance such as the one occurring at Ports of Auckland.

Ms Murray further pointed out that only strong unions can help secure the high wage, high productivity economy successive governments have long wanted.

“Thanks to the support of a strong union, Ports of Auckland workers have enjoyed decent wages and working conditions and in return have worked hard for their employer. The good pay and conditions enjoyed by wharf workers there need to be the norm for all of us if New Zealand is to become the productive high wage economy John Key talks about.”

Instead the Alliance believes that Ports of Auckland management has instigated this dispute as part of a plan to make them ready them for privatisation.

“Make no mistake, if Ports of Auckland workers lose this fight we all lose. Forget about closing the gap with Australia. A decent day's work for a decent day's pay is an idea that will be consigned to history,” said Ms Murray.

Ends

Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >

Elections: Time Running Out to Take Part in Electoral Commission’s MMP Review

Time is running out to have your say on improvements you’d like to see made to our MMP voting system. With only two weeks to go until the first consultation period of the MMP Review closes, the Electoral Commission has received more than 3700 submissions ... More >>

Christchurch: More Green Zoning And More Red Zoning

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced the final decision in almost 11 months of flat land residential zoning in Canterbury…

“It brings the number of residential properties zoned red because they are unsuitable for residential occupation to 7256.” More >>

Gerry Brownlee also announced the green zoning of 421 residential properties in the Port Hills, leaving 1679 houses still under review. More>>

ALSO:

CERA - CBD Red Zone Cordon Reduction
Labour - Southshore: A Divided Verdict
Christchurch - Council Endorses Pausing Cathedral Demolition
Awa Press - Christchurch protests for new leadership will continue
Campbell - On The Government Is Ducking Responsibility For The Needs Of Christchurch
Rutherford Foundation - New techniques used to investigate Port Hills rock falls

Budget 2012: Squeezing Every Drop Out Of A Zero Budget
The Government is trying to squeeze every drop of publicity out of its ``Zero Budget’’ ahead of its delivery next Thursday.More >>

Gordon Campbell On the Politics of Austerity: Later this month, New Zealand will be subjected to its second austerity Budget in a row. Zero budgeting is being presented as the only path of virtue. This is despite the fact that - elsewhere in the real world - it has been a very bad week indeed for the politics of austerity.More >>
Also

Business.Desk - Smokes, booze and property tax breaks prime targets for Budget

Labour - User Pays Plan Confirms Failure

Labour - Cuts to classes result of government failure

ACT - Performance Based Pay for Teachers Long Overdue

Budget 2012: Recovery of Canterbury on Track

Budget 2012 - Prescription Charges Help Fund Health

Budget 2012: Education – Larger Classes For More Money

Budget 2012: $144m more for disability support

Housing: Social Housing Money Handed Out
People in need will get the most benefit from Government funding for new housing projects, to be developed by non-government providers. Housing Minister Phil Heatley has announced the successful applicants to the $25.3 million Social Housing Unit ... More >>

ALSO:

Greens - Social Housing need – A ticking time bomb
Labour - Housing a non-event on National’s policy calendar

Budget 2012: Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced the Government will increase the $3 prescription charge to $5 per item up to a maximum of 20 items from 1 January 2013. The savings will be reinvested in the health sector. More >>
Also:

Announcement - PM's Post Cabinet Press Conference Held In Hospital
Gordon Campbell - On the Rise in Prescription Charges
Labour - User Pays Plan Confirms Failure
Otago University - Public Health Expert Questions Prescription Charge Move
Labour - Minister of Illness Misses the Mark
NZ First - Don’t Increase Prescription Charges
Govt - Budget 2012: $101m for Surgery, Cancer Services
Govt -Budget 2012: Prescription Charges Help Fund Health
Medicines New Zealand - Additional Investment in Health Welcomed
Cancer Society - Good News for Cancer Patients!
Pharmacy Guild - Payment Increase Expected
NZMA - Extra funding for Surgery, Cancer Services Welcomed

Court of Appeal: Govt Should Pay Family Caregivers
The victory in the Court of Appeal for families caring for disabled family members should be taken notice of by the Government says Green MP Catherine DelahuntyMore >>

ALSO:

NZ First - About Time For Landmark Disability Decision
Labour - Government Should Drop Legal Action and Support Carers

Warm Up: Insulation programme reaches 150,000 houses
The Government’s programme to help insulate New Zealand homes has now reached the milestone of 150,000 insulated homes, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley announced today. More >>

Also:

Greens - Sensible Policy
Maori Party - Proud to celebrate success of the Warm Up NZ

Police: 120 Positions Axed In Fine Tuning
The New Zealand Police budget will not be cut this coming financial year but the organisation is planning some modest reductions in non-sworn support staff to live within its means, the Commissioner of Police, Peter Marshall, said. More >>

Also:

Police Association - Cutting Staff Doesn’t Make Work Go Away
Labour - Be Honest About Police Budget
Labour - No front line cuts – pull the other one
Green Party - Green Party comment on police staff cuts
NZ First - Frontline Policing To Suffer Under Latest Cuts

Water: Call For Quality Bottom Lines
The Land and Water Forum has called for national bottom lines to be set for the state of New Zealand’s rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and aquifers. In a report issued today, the LWF, a group representing iwi and key freshwater stakeholders, ... More >>

Also

Ministers - Government welcomes new fresh water report
Forest And Bird - Forum report important step towards better water
Green Party - Supports For New Water Rules
BusinessDesk National fresh water regime takes another big step forward
Water New Zealand - Circuit breaker for improving freshwater management?
Fed Farmer - Farmers redefine agriculture’s land and water interface

MFaT: Cuts Scaled Back, Embassies Closed
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced the closure of the Stockholm embassy in Sweden as part of $10 million of savings in the Ministry’s European posts.
The Stockholm post was opened by the Clark government in 2008 and downsized by the current government in 2009.More >>

Also

MFat - Final Decision on Change Programme
Unions - Scaled back MFAT restructure no cause for celebration
Labour - Botched MFAT cuts hurt NZ’s reputation
NZ First - MFAT Cuts Stupid In The Extreme

Budget 2012: Education – Larger Classes For More Money
I’m here today to talk about our education plan. Education is a subject that’s dear to my heart and head - and indeed yours, as future employers and business associates of the generation of young New Zealanders who are coming through our education system ... More >>

ALSO:

Govt - Budget 2012: Extra $511.9 million for education
QPEC- Cream for Private Schools – Skim Milk for Public Schools
Principals Federation - Bigger Classes Blow for Battlers
Labour - Cuts to Classes Result of Government Failure
Principals' Federation - Education Wrong Place for Performance Pay

Industrial Relations: New Laws Proposed
Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has announced a package of measures that will extend workers’ rights to request flexible working hours and ensure a fair and flexible collective bargaining environment. More >>

ALSO:

Govt - Improvements to Employment Law Announced
Labour - Employment Relations Don’t Have to be Lose-Lose
Labour - Call for Community to Lead Employment Debate
First Union - Employment Proposals Signal End to Catching up with Aust
Employers And Manufacturers Federation Employment Law Changes Positive
EPMU -No Surprises Over Government’s Law Change Agenda
CTU - Government Undermines Bargaining to Reduce Pay, Conditions

Parliament Today: Gambling Bill’s Chaos
Parliament tied itself up in procedural knots last night over whether there should be a conscience vote over a gambling bill.
The Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill first reading was proceeding with most parties indicating support, when Labour’s Trevor Mallard suggested prior to the end of debate that individual MPs should cast conscience votes on the issue, instead of a party vote.
More >>
Also

Questions for Oral Answer: May 10 - Environment Commissioner Appointment - Conscience Vote Issue Ties MPs Up In Knots - Secret Ballot Bill Passes Into Law - Govt Attacked Over Record Emigration To Australia-Child Support Will Be More Balanced: Dunne - Questions and Answers: May 8 - Dotcom And Contraception - Petitions, Papers, Reports And Bills- Questions for Oral Answer: May 8 - Child Support And The IMF - Committee Chaos & Farmer Dissatisfaction - Govt Pressured On Banks-Dotcom Saga

Alliance Party supports Ports of Auckland workers

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS > >

ALSO:

ALSO:

ALSO:

Also:

Also

Also

ALSO:

ALSO:

Get More From Scoop

LATEST HEADLINES

Politics Section Blogroll

Politics Blogs

Politics Info Websites

Newspaper Blogs

Politics Party Websites

Other Links

Scoop Newsagent


Search latest Jobs Positions $150k+ NZ Govt Jobs	Media & Ent. Jobs NZ IT Positions Salary Advice