When will we get our holiday pay money? Are MBIE part of the problem?

By Mike Treen  /  October 20, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  3 Comments

Information released to the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) by the Ministry of Business, Industry and Enterprise (MBIE) reveals a massive series of problems that could leave most workers missing out on receiving money they are owed.

A stupid missed opportunity that will hurt workers rights

By Mike Treen  /  September 14, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  5 Comments

The government has decided to miss an important opportunity to increase workers rights as part of the proposed changes to the employment relations act.

How I got hijacked, kidnapped, tasered, cracked ribs and a fractured foot at the hands of the Israeli military in international waters

By Mike Treen  /  September 9, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  18 Comments

The headline tells the end of the story following an attempt by myself and others to take a Norwegian fishing boat loaded with medical supplies to the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

More “fiscal responsibility stupidity”

By Mike Treen  /  September 1, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  13 Comments

The government “couldn’t” borrow directly because they had imposed an arbitrary limit on themselves that belongs in the realm of voodoo economics rather than science. 

Open Letter to Winston Peters regarding Israeli aggression & MFAT collusion

By Mike Treen  /  August 31, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  25 Comments

Thank you for responding to my letter of concern about the behaviour of the NZ Honorary Consul in Israel during my detention in that country for trying to break the siege of Gaza and deliver medical supplies to that part of Palestine.

Workers and their unions must defend right to free speech

By Mike Treen  /  August 10, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  10 Comments

Unionists the world over have been victims of the lack of free speech in societies run by and for the wealthy 1%.

An Open Letter To Winston Peters

By Mike Treen  /  August 7, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  25 Comments

It was with some personal disappointment that despite several letters from my friends and colleagues, there appeared to be no action by the New Zealand government to protest the hijacking of the boat I was travelling on, Al Awda, and from which I was kidnapped and detained by the Israeli military from international waters on Sunday, July 29.

Changes to benefit sanctions regime welcome, but…

By Mike Treen  /  June 29, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  10 Comments

This is welcome news but it should be just the start of a new culture being imposed at WINZ.

BREAKING: Unite Union says IRD going rogue against Labour Government!

By Mike Treen  /  June 28, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  7 Comments

Unite represents workers employed by Salmat who is a third party call centre operator currently contracted to provide services to the IRD. This contract was review early this year and Salmat’s services were discontinued to be replaced by temping agency Madison in September.

Stolen Holiday Pay must be paid back – the Government must act

By Mike Treen  /  June 22, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  8 Comments

The truth is there is nothing very complicated about the calculation of annual leave. Leave was to be calculated weekly and when it was taken it should be valued at the greater of the worker’s current wage or their yearly average. This had been true since 1948.

What was clarified in the 2003 Act was that if it was difficult to determine what an ordinary week was, for example, because they worked variable hours each week, then the worker should get the higher of their yearly average or the average of the last four weeks. This was explained in the Act in minute detail. No mistaken understanding could be taken from the plain language.

It has become clear that almost no major employer or payroll provider did this simple calculation. Many also did not include regular allowances that should have been. 

Unite to picket Wendy’s Dominion Rd, Auckland store 5pm tonight despite injunction

By Mike Treen  /  June 9, 2018  /  Mike Treen, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  3 Comments

Supporters are being asked to come along and show that support outside the company’s Dominion Rd, Auckland, store tonight from 5-7pm.