Marika Pratley, Workers Party, Wellington Branch
The Spark September 2010
Eight women were denied compensation for being raped by police
officers at a recent Police Misconduct Forum. Seven cases proved police
misconduct in court, but only one woman was successful in bringing a
prosecution, against police officers Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton for rape in 2005. She was raped by them and another Tauranga man in 1989.
An inquiry into Police Misconduct and rape was initiated by Dame Margaret Bazley in which 300 cases of Police Misconduct were identified.
Former Police Minister Annette King began working with the 8 women to set up the forum in 2007. They were pressured into signing confidentiality agreements, meaning the other 300 women in the report were excluded from participation. Although compensation was considered, it was decided that it was not the government’s responsibility to compensate the eight women. This raises the issue of not just whether these survivors should be getting compensation, but how we can stop rape happening to begin with. Continue reading “Capitalist state fails police rape victims”
Opinion: Kia Ora Gaza
John Edmunson, Workers Party national education officer, Christchurch
The Spark September 2010
In June this year Socialist Worker announced that Kia Ora Gaza would be heading to Palestine. Kia Ora Gaza is a New Zealand contribution to British ex-Labour MP George Galloway’s Viva Palestina charity and it will be departing these shores in September to bring aid to the people of Gaza. Kia Ora Gaza’s aim is to raise NZ$100,000 to be used to buy items to deliver to Gaza.
Galloway’s notion of breaking the siege with a massive aid convoy, travelling in full public view and defying the Israeli state was an inspired one. The mere existence of that first convoy brought international attention to the plight of the imprisoned population of Gaza and to the barbarity of the Zionist regime’s mediaeval treatment of Gaza’s 1.4 million inhabitants. As an act of humanitarian solidarity it was brilliant. But socialist solidarity is more than just humanitarianism. It is humanitarian certainly, but it is also revolutionary internationalist solidarity. Continue reading “Opinion: Kia Ora Gaza”
Smash All Anti-Worker Laws: Wellington Meeting
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud9bNkfjmjA&fs=1&hl=en_US]
Class War Song – Don Franks
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Lisa Stoneham, sacked under 90-Day Bill, speaks on her experiences.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQOpdF1EGMo&fs=1&hl=en_US]
Heleyni Pratley, Workers Party activist, speaks on the need to smash all anti-worker laws.
The ‘War on Resistance’
Mike Walker, PFLP Solidarity Campaign coordinator
The Spark August 2010
On the 20th of September 2001, during a joint session of congress, George Bush uttered the now famous phrase “every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” The resulting ‘War on Terror’ is not only being fought on the battle field but also in the minds of people worldwide through a complex web of legislation and International Law. New Zealand is an active participant in the global war against terror being led by the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq. But this should be understood within the context of New Zealand’s long history of repressing its own population. Continue reading “The ‘War on Resistance’”
Undercover Boss USA – A fairy tale of class collaboration
TV review: ‘Undercover Boss USA’
Tuesday, 8.30pm, TV One
The Spark August 2010
‘Undercover Boss USA’ is a peculiar show; a show hard to imagine being produced any time before the 2008 economic recession. The show is an attempt by ‘reality’ television to tap into the growing class anger caused by the recession. Nowhere is this better illustrated than by the extremely over-the-top and unsubtle opening narration:
The economy is going through TOUGH TIMES! Many hard-working Americans blame wealthy CEOs, out of touch with what’s going on in THEIR OWN COMPANIES! But SOME BOSSES are willing to take EXTREME ACTION to make their businesses BETTER! Continue reading “Undercover Boss USA – A fairy tale of class collaboration”
Class war song
Don Franks
You stand at fifty bosses doorways clutching your cv
At last you score a part time gig to clean the lavatory
You keep it spotless ninety days but then you’re out the door
You don’t have to be in the army to fight in the war
You wake up with a runny nose a cough and aching head
You ring in sick and tell the boss you need a day in bed
He says you need a doctor’s note to prove you’re really sore
You don’t have to be in the army to fight in the war
Down you go to WINZ to try and get a benefit
They talk to you as though they’re looking at a piece of shit
They say you might find casual work if you shift down to Gore
You don’t have to be in the army to fight in the war
Away up in the Beehive they all sit on their arse
Taking turns to suck more blood out of the working class
Labour brought in GST , National made it more
You don’t have to be in the army to fight in the war
Now you see your situation as looking very bleak
But its just in isolation that the working folks are weak
Stand up and show the bastards what a union’s really for!
You don’t have to be in the army to fight in the war
No, you don’t have to be in the army to fight in the war.
"This means class war! Smash the anti-union laws!"
Daphna Whitmore
There was a spirited protest outside the National Party conference in Auckland today. The Herald reported the turnout at 300. At one point dozens of protesters stormed into the hotel where the conference was being held.
Despite Key earlier saying National wouldn’t make a move on labour laws this term, the government has now launched an attack on union rights. Given the diminished strength of the union movement it seems like “over kill”. On the other hand, it could be that the capitalists feel that the limited rights currently enjoyed by workers are excessive, and that the unions have not earned those rights.
While many workers may have little understanding of the concept of union access rights and what is at stake, most will be angered by the extension of the 90 day trial period. That will affect a big chunk of the working class.
The measures announced by the Nats today are just what the small and medium sized employers have been calling for, but are not a central concern of big employers. Big employers have no problem sacking workers and handling the mediation process under current legislation. Few sacked workers are ever reinstated, but small employers want to dispense with even the pretence of “fairness”.
At the rally today a Dairy Worker’s Union representative said they’d be taking the fight to the workplace and be calling on workers to strike to defend fellow workers sacked in the 90 day period.
One action like that would be worth a thousand mediations.
When workers rights are under attack – Stand Up, Fight Back!
Alastair Reith
The rights of every worker in this country are under attack.
90 Day Fire at Will and Union Access Leaflet
Protest outside the National Party conference at Sky City Hotel (Main entrance 72 Victoria Street West, Auckland City) on Sunday 18th July 10am
The National Government has just announced a number of significant changes to the Employment Relations Act. There are five major changes:
1: The 90 day legislation will be extended to workplaces with less than 50 staff, and probably to all workplaces soon afterwards. These laws let the boss fire you for whatever reason he likes in the first 90 days, and you can’t take out a personal grievance. Basically, you can get fired for nothing and there’s nothing you can do.
2: The right of union organisers to access the workplace will be severely restricted on unionised sites. And on sites that do not already have a well established trade union, the boss may be able to prevent the union from even coming through the doors. This is an authoritarian and undemocratic move which will make it much harder for workers to organise and fight for their rights.
3: EREL Education and Training Leave for Delegates and Members is to be abolished. This prevents union members from coming together and planning with each other how to win a better deal for everybody. Union members will now be punished for taking part in union conferences, with the new laws forcing them to take time out of the few weeks of annual leave they get.
4: The Holidays Act is to be changed, with the fourth weeks holiday being sold. This leaves workers with very little time in the year to enjoy time off work with their families, or to travel or just relax. The politicians will try and justify this by saying workers are offered a choice, but in practice what this means is that the boss can pick and choose whether to allow more than three weeks holiday, and if you don’t like it? Well, you’ll be fired within 90 days! This will be especially true on non-unionised sites where workers have no protection.
5: Bargaining Agents will be able to take the place of Unions in Collective Contract Negotiations. This will give more power to “yellow” company unions and will allow bosses to exclude unions entirely in favour of professional corporate law firms Continue reading “When workers rights are under attack – Stand Up, Fight Back!”
“The unpalatable truth” : a critique of the Council of Trade Unions Alternative Economic Strategy
The Spark July 2010
Philip Fergusson
Over the past quarter century, workers in New Zealand have been working longer, harder and faster for less pay and in worse conditions. For instance, as Unite union’s national director, Mike Treen, calculated, using official government figures on wages, in the period from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, real wages – what your wages can actually buy – declined by 25 percent. This decline was the result of the policies of the fourth Labour government and the first term of the fourth National government. Since then, wages have not recovered and remain only three-quarters of their 1982 level. (See: http://www.unite.org.nz/?q=node/704)
The transfer of wealth upwards is also revealed in the fact that corporate profits as a share of GDP rose from 34% in the mid-1980s to 46% in 2005, while wages as a share of GDP fell from 57% at the end of the Muldoon era to 42% in 2005. Continue reading ““The unpalatable truth” : a critique of the Council of Trade Unions Alternative Economic Strategy”
`Marxism 2010' conference report
The Spark July 2010
Jared Phillips, Spark co-ordinating editor
The Workers Party held its annual national Marxism conference at Thistle Hall in Wellington over Queen’s Birthday weekend from June 4-7. It was a weekend of anti-imperialist theory and activity. Approximately seventy members, supporters and other interested people attended throughout the weekend.
Presenting and discussing revolutionary politics
The conference opened on the Friday night with WP national secretary Daphna Whitmore speaking on the revolutionary movement in India. The revolutionary zone spreads from the border with Nepal in the north to the southern states of India. This presentation and discussion was followed by John Edmundson, the WP’s national education officer, speaking on New Zealand’s imperialist role in the occupation of Afghanistan and the quagmire that the invading powers have found themselves in. Continue reading “`Marxism 2010' conference report”