The irony of backlash to petrol stations charging workers for stolen petrol

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You have to laugh at NZers sometimes. you really do.

The outrage that has been sparked by news that workers at petrol stations are charged for stolen petrol is one of those perfect examples of a delicious irony most NZers seem incapable of comprehending.

The reason bosses get away with these kind of despicable actions is because we have weakened Unions t0 such a level they barely have any teeth any longer. There are now reports that checkout workers get fined for stolen merchandise, in the same month the Pike River tragedy is remembered BECAUSE the safety oversights had been deregulated away down to a farce, in the same week the Roger Sutton’s antics made the Public Service looked like a sexist joke, in the same year that the Forestry Industry revealed that they don’t care too much that workers die because the workers are ‘bottom of the barrel’.

The Right have been so successful over the last 30 years of neo-liberalism because they have managed to denigrate the Unions to such a level that NZers can’t even see the connection between strong Unions that protect workers and bad bosses who exploit workers. The vicious campaign launched against Actors wanting a fair deal during the manufactured crisis at The Hobbit reminds us how the mainstream media play an important role in attacking Unions.

The first legislation Key has pushed through Parliament are new anti-Union laws that slowly suffocate the ability for Unions to gain new members.

Watching so many NZers howl at the bad bosses while not connecting these work conditions to the weakened Union movement is a reminder of why we need real public broadcasting. Seven Sharp won’t tell you any of this.

13 COMMENTS

  1. Yes, the political right pretend to be the champion of those poor petrol station workers while they are simultaneously working on more legislation to take even more rights away from them. Remember that sole charge petrol station attendants have not had official meal breaks for years. If they are lucky enough to get a quiet spell, they might be able to have a quick coffee, sandwich or to visit the john, hoping to get their business done quickly and that some dishonest person doesn’t come in at the same time.

  2. Yes I believe that by far the majority of NZer’s care – and I believe those same NZer’s would be appalled of what is revealed in Dirty Politics. And you have to ask why they are not aware of what went on?

    • Dare I say they care when it is put right in front of their noses, such as the way the news reports this week has done…but if it entails any effort such as sitting down and actually reading a book such as Dirty Politics, that is after actually going out and purchasing a copy, they would much rather turn and look the other way.

  3. The unions will be back, but they will be decentralised. Once that happens the government can make all the law chances they want as it will be ineffective. Time. All it will take is time.

  4. Isn’t it also ironic that the top dogs of these companies receive tax cuts so in a way we’re paying to be treated mmm”poorly”. You get a sense of the disconnect with the rich’s thanks to the govt for the tax cuts but not who’s paying for them in that workers rights are under attack.

  5. The incapacity of so many New Zealanders draw the lines between the dots has become laughable to the point of ludicrous and not worthy of respect any more. I don’t even take their bemoanment of this sort of thing seriously any more.

  6. Anything Key sees as a threat he bans or rubbishes, the teachers union is still very strong ,time the unions started building up ,its the only thing that will save workers rights
    In the days of Downton Abbey the workers were made to feel greatful for any work,they worked long hours for peanuts and could be dismissed at will without references.
    We are back to those days,with casual labour on minimum wage.
    The MONEY has successfully re enacted those days by claiming real wage cant be afforded,they don’t care that some people cant afford anything.

  7. I’m surprised Paul Henry and Mike Hosking don’t agree that bad, bad, petrol station attendants who won’t throw themselves down on the road in front of fleeing drivers should have their pay docked.

  8. Petrol = cars = roads = roading projects = national donations.

    Anything related to cars and roads is Pure NZ and we dare not sully the brand by having bad publicity surrounding such a sacred issue:)

    Ordinary NZ does not even realize the problems of the working poor unless there is an example on TV at prime time news that relates to another issue they care about (petrol). So Labour and the Greens need to actually make real examples of what the National policies mean to Kiwis – not just talk theory and this communication also applies to the Unions.

    Also the unions need to be prepared to help non union members first. It is a bit like AA when your car breaks down you can join for a year on the spot.

    • “..help non union members first.” Dream on! Many young, and not so young, workers are quite happy to enjoy conditions passed on to them by employers that union members have paid and fought for, and continue to defend, while not contributing to union membership. Even when they are confronted with the evidence that these are deliberate moves by employers to break union coverage: “Why do I need to pay for union membership when the terms and conditions of a CEC just get given to me under an IEC?” These workers then try and get “free” union legal representation when their individual situations go toxic. Sorry that is parasitic bludging and is very apparent in the ‘deunionised” finance sector. Try getting insurance cover for an event after it has happened!

  9. It’s a perfect storm at the moment for workers. A government whose economic policy is based on cheap (as in money and life expectancy wise) expendible labour, weak unions, crap wages, shit employers and no surprises they’re the big corporates too like Gull, Caltex, Foodstuffs, to name but a few of the outed. Not the mythical few “bad employers” we’ve been fed with Nationals bedtime stories but the bread and butter corporate mates and probale donors to National. It will be even more widespread than that however.

    Dumb kiwis are still subcribers to the well practised lie that unions are bad and employers are good.

  10. I think corporations see governments and the stock market in the same light just a way to maximise profit nothing else while we look silly talking about what’s good for us.

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