Home Blog Page 1720

FIRST Union and St John reach deal to benefit all ambulance staff – First Union

0

FIRST Union and St John reach deal to benefit all ambulance staff

Ambulance Professionals First, the network within FIRST Union representing ambulance officers, and St John Ambulance have reached an agreement that union representatives will be recommending to members.

St John Ambulance and Ambulance Professionals First – which now represents the majority of operational staff at St John – re-entered negotiations last month following a long-running industrial dispute.

Ambulance Professionals First spokesperson Lynette Blacklaws said she was pleased all ambulance staff will benefit from the new offer, even those who are not members of Ambulance Professionals First.

“The offer addresses some long standing issues around leave entitlements and additional increases on pay amongst other improvements” said Ms Blacklaws.

“We still have a lot of work to do to bring an end to single crewing and other symptoms of the government’s $1.85 billion underfunding of the health system.”

The offer will be voted on by members next month. 

 

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Australian company Bapcor runs into trouble as it enters NZ market – First Union

1

 

Australian company Bapcor runs into trouble as it enters NZ market

Distribution centre workers at Auckland-based car parts supplier Brake and Transmission (BNT), now owned by the Australian company Bapcor after its takeover of Hellaby, walked off the job today – the third time in as many months – as negotiations stall.

The distribution centre workers initiated bargaining in August 2016 and walked off the job in December and January saying the company’s nil pay offer meant they and their families would struggle to keep up with skyrocketing house prices.

“We’ve been in negotiations since August last year and the company is still refusing to make a meaningful offer. We thought Bapcor’s takeover may have slowed things down, that’s understandable, but now the takeover is confirmed negotiations are still stalled, ” said the workers’ representative, FIRST Union organiser Emir Hodzic.

“Now it feels like BNT simply doesn’t want to negotiate.”

“And people are starting to take notice of this dispute. In Australia the AMWU has written to Bapcor’s management about the situation here. Members of Australia’s NUW are also sending their support to the distribution centre workers here.”

“Working people are really feeling the pinch. They’re struggling to sustain their families while the cost of housing keeps going up but their wages remain the same,” said Hodzic.

  

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Political Caption Competition

1

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Daily Blog Guerrilla Radio – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Don’t Come Around Here No More

0

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

TDB Top 5 International Stories: Friday 10th February 2017

2

5:Trump’s Massive Crackdown on Immigrants Has Begun

Even people in the US legally aren’t necessarily safe from deportation, some lawyers say.
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric was often vague but generally focused on a couple issues: a wall that would (theoretically) keep undocumented migrants from crossing the southern border, and the mass deportation of “bad hombres,” i.e. immigrants who had committed crimes. But as president, Trump seems to be encouraging deportation on a much broader scale, and immigration authorities look happy to take him up on that.

Immigration attorney Ajay Singh, who works in New York State, has heard stories recently that point to a crackdown on all immigrants. He met with a client last week who said an officer stopped him driving merely to check his identification; that same week, Singh told me, saw immigration agents raid a factory in Monroe, New York, looking for undocumented workers—a tactic authorities haven’t used in years.

Vice News

4: Australia weather: heat threatens power outages and ‘catastrophic’ fire danger

Parts of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria at risk as heatwave pushes temperatures into the mid-40s. Energy firms are warning of potential blackouts in NSW.

The Guardian 

3: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PREPARES TO EXECUTE “VICIOUS” EXECUTIVE ORDER ON DEPORTATIONS

ON JANUARY 25, Donald Trump signed two executive orders calling for a series of dramatic new measures aimed at hardening the country’s domestic immigration enforcement apparatus. Despite their grave implications for millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., the measures were largely overshadowed by a particularly high-profile component of the directives — the construction of a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico — and receded further into the background two days later, when Trump signed another order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

As the world’s attention was occupied with the chaotic implementation of the travel ban and its dramatic domestic and international impacts, the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security has quietly moved forward with elements of the earlier executive orders, according to internal communications obtained by The Intercept.

Trumps orders on border security and public safety in the interior of the U.S. resurrect some of the most controversial immigration enforcement programs of recent years, seek to deputize state and local law enforcement as immigration officials across the country, and threaten major cuts to federal funding for cities that fail to fall in line with the administration’s vision.

The Intercept

2: Velayati: US does not dare carry out attack on Iran

Iran has stepped up its war of words with the US, with an influential adviser to the supreme leader threatening the Trump administration with “dark days to come” in case of a military attack on his country.

In an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera, Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign-affairs adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said “Washington does not dare carry out its military threats against Iran”.

“The Americans know very well that Iran and its allies in the region would retaliate very hard, that will make America face dark days to come,” he said.

In the past week, the US has imposed new sanctions on Iran over a missile test.

Aljazeera

 

1: Breaking: 9th Circuit Judges Rule 3-0 Against Reinstating Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban

A federal appeals court in San Francisco has unanimously upheld a temporary suspension of President Trump’s executive order that restricted travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. The decision is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Democracy Now

 

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

The Daily Blog Open Mic – Friday 10th February 2017

0

openmike

 

Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.

Moderation rules are more lenient for this section, but try and play nicely.

 

 

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Budget Policy 2017: Make housing low-income families a priority – CPAG

0

In it’s submission to the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Budget Policy Statement 2017 this week, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said that reducing the rate and depth of child poverty must be the first priority in the 2017 budget.

There has been no notable improvement to the situation for children in poverty over the past decade, and it is imperative that significant extra funding be directed to improving the outcomes for all low-income children – not just a select few who meet the current ‘at risk’ criteria.
CPAG recommends making housing of low-income or ‘at risk’ families a priority.

The year end (Dec 2016) figures provided by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) website disclose an alarming rate of increase for those households qualifying for “A” priority listing. “These are households the Ministry defines as ‘at risk’, they include households with a proven severe and persistent housing need that must be addressed immediately,” said Frank Hogan, CPAG housing and children’s rights spokesperson.

CPAG argues that the Budget must measurably improve incomes for low-income families whether supported by benefits or low wages. General tax cuts however are not the answer.
“Improved Working for Families (WFF) tax credits should be seen as the best and fairest way to offset taxes paid for the lowest income families with children,” says Susan St John, economics spokesperson for CPAG. “NZ has a very flat income tax system and a high GST on everything. The burden of high GST lands heaviest upon our lowest income earners. They are also repaying students loans and face other clawbacks from very low income levels.”

Tax credits for children have eroded markedly since 2010 and have never fully included the poorest children. “Another $1.2 billion needs to be spent immediately to restore Working for Families” says St John.

Treasury’s recent budget analysis verifies the reduction in ‘social’ spending. Over time, as a percentage of GDP (‘gross domestic product’), spending on education, health and welfare is decreasing, even as the population is increasing. Students are having to borrow ever more for living costs and carry ever more debt.

CPAG says while such policies of shifting costs to students may increase the surplus and put an asset on the on the Government balance sheet, the cost is unfairly borne. Many students will struggle all their lives to repay debt affecting their ability to parent the next generation well.
CPAG also believes that reducing net public debt to 20% is unnecessary , especially in light of the large assets in the New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super) Fund. “An overemphasis on reducing public debt to very low levels is achieved at too high a social price,” says St John.
Read CPAG’s full submission here: Budget Policy Statement 2017.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Maccas admits to cheating workers of holiday pay

7

Recently staff at McDonald’s have been told by their employer that the company has finally accepting that they have been incorrectly calculating annual leave when workers take it. The memo is in a circular from head office dated 16 December that is only available on the company’s internal communication system.

The law requires the company to pay annual leave in “weeks”. The leave should be calculated as the “higher of” your average pay for the year or your current weekly pay. It may be, for example,that you have shifted from working 10 hours a week to 30 hours a week. The week’s leave should be paid at 30 even if the average for the year is less. If a worker’s current weekly pay is difficult to calculate because their hours change from week to week – then the law says it should be the higher of the last four weeks pay or the average for the year.

This is specified in detail in the law.

The problem was that McDonald’s only calculated leave as hours and then allocated hours when workers took leave. They did not calculate “weeks”. And even when they did calculate a week’s leave they only gave the average and simply didn’t bother doing a “higher of” calculation.

Unite asked the company to initiate an audit process after we identified this error in the company’s method of calculation in February 2015! It has taken almost two years before they finally acknowledged they were wrong to their staff.

Our initial request for information was ignored. They then simply denied the obvious.

We eventually got a lawyer to threaten to taken the company to court. The company continued to deny wrongdoing in a letter to Unite in December 2015.

In early 2016 it became public knowledge that McDonald’s was only one of many companies to have made the same “error”. The issue then became a matter of public debate and discussion.

Unite felt compelled to write to the company again on March 9, 2016, seeking assurances that they would take action on the annual leave issue.

They responded March 17 by saying that they had appointed an external third party to review their systems. In exchange for this step, we agreed to hold off legal action in a good faith expectation that the results of the audit would be shared with us.

At the end of 2016, it was becoming clear to us that the company appeared to be reneging on its good faith obligations to share information with us. Again the company gave us an “assurance” that you any problems identified would be fixed.

However, our distrust of the company has been reignited. At the end of last year, we submitted a formal wage and time record request to Mcopco for a record of the annual leave payments for our members and how they were calculated.

The information we have received confirms for us that many workers have been cheated of their lawful entitlements.

We will be having further discussions with the company to ensure everyone gets what they deserve.

We understand that nearly every employer in the country that employed staff on irregular hours has failed to apply the law correctly. Possibly hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake.

Now the Ministry of Business Industry and Enterprise are demanding answers from companies that have been reported to them. McDonald’s are on their list. Between the two of us I believe McDonald’s have finally realised the game is up.
What is sad is just how hard it is sometimes to get these big, profitable multinationals to even obey the law!

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Poto Williams statement – Labour Party

10

I met with Willie Jackson last night and we had a robust and honest conversation about the concerns I had raised last weekend. I made the offer to meet Willie and I was pleased that he accepted.

I would like to acknowledge the work of MUMA and its Violence Free programmes and I look forward to visiting them and seeing the work they do for our community.

Having spoken with Willie, I believe his apology is genuine. He realises he still has more to learn about the issues of sexual violence. In that regard I hope to help him increase his understanding and our conversations will continue. I welcome that opportunity and Willie is keen for that to occur. We are committed to working together on this.

Reducing our shocking rates of sexual and domestic violence is something I am passionate about and I am proud to be Labour’s spokesperson on these issues. It’s one of the reasons I want to change the Government and I am totally focused on helping win this election for Labour.share on twitter

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Your Voice Election 2017 – ‘Fed up with the System’ experience of WINZ

11

As part of our election coverage of shaming the neoliberal welfare state who treat the poorest and most vulnerable amongst us with contempt, here is Fed-up-with-the-System’s experience of Ministry of Social Development

I moved from Gisborne to Hamilton in April 2016, to complete my psychology career pathway at the university of Waikato and simultaneously reunite with the father of my children.

As there was a long history of domestic violence within this relationship, I was once again devastated to realise that the violence hadn’t ended. My relationship with the children’s father deteriorated quite quickly due to intimate partner violence… yet again. And yes I feel like a fool, the shame of knowing that I should have known better, but what people don’t realise is that its hard being a solo mother. I loved the kids dad, I still do, and hoped for a miracle. I grew tired and weary from carrying the burden of being a solo mother. I was always struggling financially, and I was tired because no one helped me. I wanted to give my children more, a better life, things that on my own I couldn’t do nor give.

I found my sanity in giving back to society, which was all voluntary, I was a fire fighter for approximately 3 years, an active member and secretary on the local community council (Tu Ake Te Karaka), a teachers aide, a soccer and gymnastics coach for the local school in which I was employed with… and a solo mum.

Anyway, after the deterioration of this relationship I fled with my two children and signed up on the solo-parent benefit. I recall going into winz to seek help, after waking 10 kms to obtain parts for my car in order to flee, as the children’s dad had disabled my vehicle, he had taken all communication devices from me; my cell, my computer, and I knew nobody in Hamilton. Only to be asked publicly why I was there, I broke down in front of everyone present as I explained. I discovered that winz had stopped my benefit when my card declined as i tried to buy myself and children breakfast whilst on the run. Their explanation was that they were awaiting a document from me, although I had emailed that to the lady who requested it weeks prior. I explained that my finances could have been a life or death matter in my circumstances.

Womans refuge was phoned, as they questioned me, and this was not a pleasant experience neither! they informed me that they could not help either, unless I was willing to vacate to Whakatane…. In which I wasn’t, as I had enrolled at the university and my five year rest period had expired, I needed to complete my psychology pathway or throw the entire venture in, this would mean 7 years of wasted time and money as this is how long it took me to complete my undergrad via correspondence, I was not prepared to do this. I see the future for myself and children hinge on my completion of this pathway, if I do not complete this, we will always be struggling.

I refused to sign the form woman refuge gave me as they were not able to help me in my situation, I was assisted by a lady from winz who found us emergency accommodation at a motel for one week. When this week had expired, winz were no longer able to help as all the motels in Hamilton were booked out due to the field days event. I was informed that I could go and stay on the marae somewhere and that they were no longer able to help.

The one and only person I knew up here invited us to stay in his one bedroom apartment. I had no choice but to accept, I spent the next two weeks cleaning this place as it was disgusting, mould and mildew everywhere, my children had to top-and-tail on a single coach until I could afford mattresses for them. To my horror, I discovered that my friend, the tenant of this property had a mental disorder, hence the state of his dwelling.

This situation could not persist as they were in such a small dwelling, and with a mental disorder, so again, we were back at winz asking for help, as this guy had kicked us out. We were put into emergency accommodation again after a long and uncomfortable interrogation process from work and income. I had been actively seeking a rental through various rental agencies here, only to be declined every time. This in itself was an expensive and time consuming process, booking a viewing, running from here to there to view each property only to be declined time and time again…. all the whilst I was studying and a solo mum.

Every week I would have to return to winz and answer the same questions and give the same answers about my horrible situation and what I was doing to try and better it. One Saturday I was phone by the manager of winz interrogating me as to what I was doing to find a rental home, this was a very unpleasant and unexpected phone call. I put in a formal complaint about this incident. Additionally, I discover that the emergency accommodation cost were being made recoverable without my knowledge. That meant that I had to pay over $1000.00 a week in rent lol. I could not afford this!!!!! I was told that I was being penalised because I was not doing all that I could to change my situation. I had been looking for rentals in the Hamilton east area, as this is where the uni is located, and the zone in which both of my children go to school. I was also looking for a 2 bedroom place as this was the window in which I knew I could afford. I explained that if i was to pay more in rent it would push me into hardship…. but I was still penalised for not doing all that I could.. At this point, I am psychological wreak, my grades are shocking at school, and I’m not emotionally coping. Simultaneously, I am being passed between the police and lawyers in an attempt to obtain all of my property and the children’s property back from the children’s father, whom refuses to give it back, although it all belonged to me, and was from my home in Te Karaka. This was just another tactic of abuse on top of being stalked for a period of time. So I am living in fear of our saftey and life as the children’s father was also using P or methamphitamine. He kept all of my text books that I needed for study, all of my sentimental items that I are keepsakes from my beloved and passed parents, everything. I was powerless, I could not do a thing, legal aide would not help and i did not have the funds to take this matter to court on my own. My daughter fell sick during this time and was admitted to hospital twice, I was treated with suspicion and was so over trying to responde to the expectations of me. I was mentally, emotionally and phsyically depleted.

I eventually had an offer for a home in the Melville area, I had already been told that winz would no longer assist with emergency accommodation, and I did not want my kids sleeping in our small car with our dog. The rental was a 3 bedroom and cost $350.00 a week, of course it meant that my children would have to change schools and I would have an extra expense with petrol to travel to and from uni. I knew this cost would not be sustainable but it was take it or be completely homeless. What choice did I have?

We slept on the floor for a while until I asked woman refuge for help/ I received some mattresses, and other house hold items. I had been visiting winz a lot during this period, asking for food assistance, first weeks rent, a lawn mower and every time I was challenged with a lack of knowledge into my situation, every time was unpleasant, every time i encountered a power struggle!!! I have been told time and time again that I have no assistance left,all used in trying to reestablish myself and kids, although i have recently discovered that there are grants to help people in my situation although i was never offered this, I am in debt of over $3000.00 and still struggling. I have been past to the salvation army, twice i have had an appointment for budgeting advise, and twice my appointment has been channeled!!!!

I am in desperate need of help, I have touched base with woman refuge, no return email, single parents have provided a counsellor i can talk to at a cost and on a waiting list, winz just doesn’t even want to know me, the doctor threw anti depressants at me which made me feel worse so iv stopped taking them, all services have failed to help but rather caused more harm than good. I don’t know what to do any more. I am a psychology student, and i have studied the impact of inequality, domestic violence, racism and other social issues but I have also and continue to be a victim of it all… and what sux is that we live in a nation where no one gives a fuck….. although we know and research confirms it all, nothing changes….. the system makes people sick, it has made me sick!!!! it has robbed me of my dignity, my sanity, my rights, my mana, my identity!!!!

I am a good moral person that has contributed to society in many great ways, and my children will do also, and to be treated as we have been since moving to Hamilton is such a disgrace, its disgusting!!!!! Through my career pathway, I will make it my sole focus to change our nation, its time that “people” started to matter!!!!!

Have you been treated poorly by our neoliberal welfare state and wish to bring attention to your experience anonymously so that they can’t punish you? Check out our 2017 election campaign to do just that.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Costs of Nats’ housing crisis hit middle New Zealand hardest – Labour Party

3

Families on middle and lower incomes, especially older New Zealanders, are having their budgets squeezed due to National’s housing crisis, says Labour Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

New analysis of Statistics New Zealand data shows that, under National, the 20 per cent of households on the lowest incomes have experienced a 17 per cent increase in living costs; the middle 20 per cent a 12 per cent increase; and the wealthiest 20 per cent, just an 11 per cent increase.

Housing costs, particularly rents, drive the difference. In the largest year, living costs rose at nearly twice the rate for the lowest income families (1.3 per cent) than that of the highest income families (0.7 per cent).

“Rising house prices are locking more and more families into renting at the same time as rents are skyrocketing. The costs are hitting middle New Zealand and struggling families hard.

“The squeeze is going on family budgets as housing eats up a larger slice of stagnant pay packets.

“Kiwi families are bearing the cost of a government that has failed to build enough affordable houses and rein in speculators.

“Labour’s housing plan will stabilise house prices and ease rents by building 100,000 affordable homes, banning foreign speculators, and adding thousands more state houses,” says Phil Twyford.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Government still failing Kiwi kids in poverty – Labour Party

0

The Government is failing to acknowledge the findings of a damming report from the Salvation Army which shows high levels of child poverty that have persisted under National, says Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni.

“The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report reveals high rates of child poverty are now entrenched in New Zealand due to the Government’s failed welfare policies.

“The Minister refuses to acknowledge these high rates of child poverty and hardship in New Zealand, and is more interested in defending the Government’s poor track record.

“The report clearly states that children living in material hardship have not felt any positive impacts from welfare reforms, yet the Minister claims the miniscule benefit increase implemented last year was positive. Rather, these reforms are to blame for the persistence of child poverty.

“What’s worse, the Leader of the House went so far as to call the report’s conclusions ‘tripe’, undermining the frontline work and independent analysis conducted by the Salvation Army.

“The Government is failing New Zealand families and their children by refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of child poverty in our country. Rather than addressing the issue, they are worsening poverty by continuing to focus on cutting benefit numbers, reducing support through programmes like Working for Families, ignoring the housing crisis, and making social support more conditional.

“We need a Government that really invests in New Zealanders, and ensures all children have the best start in life. Labour is committed to eradicating child poverty, and we have a plan to tackle the housing crisis. After eight years of continued inequality and child poverty, we need to take action and work toward a New Zealand we can be proud of again,” says Carmel Sepuloni.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Supreme Court to hear respite care employment case – E tū

0

Tomorrow, E tū will present its case to the Supreme Court in Wellington for basic employment rights for respite care workers.

The union has been granted leave to appeal a Court of Appeal ruling last August which reversed an Employment Court decision granting carers these rights.

Respite workers are paid $75.00, or $3.00 an hour for a 24-hour shift, for the care they provide for disabled people to give their primary carers a break.

E tū is taking the case on behalf of former respite worker, Jan Lowe, who says what’s fair is at the heart of her case.

“It makes no sense to have a government which sets a minimum wage but allows this to happen. I’d like something sensible and something fair; something more just than what we’ve got,” says Jan.

“I know it’s a legal argument but this decision is about real people – not just us, but also the people we care for.”

E tū’s Assistant National Secretary, John Ryall says the Appeal Court found Jan was not engaged by the Ministry of Health, which pays the respite carer, nor the DHB which assesses patients for respite care eligibility.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Brilliant film – fundraiser – do come and support Palestine Solidarity Network tickets at the door! Sunday Feb 19th Please share

0

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Basement Theatre and Auckland Fringe Festival Present – The Performance Salon, Week Three

0

Basement Theatre Salon Performance Series Week 3
Auckland Fringe Festival
Basement Theatre presents its final week of stirring performance by an array of makers working in experimental
Theatre/Dance/In-between/Performance Art

Over five nights these exciting artists will share one space. Alice Canton, Billie Staples, Jasmine Donald, Johanna Cosgrove, Thomas Press & Virginia Frankovich, Tallulah Holly-Massey & Kate Bartlett.

This line-up of performers have had many critically positive things said about their respective works…..

“The piece is like a festival film about a teenager’s coming of age and I don’t want it to end”

“ ..establishes a boldly experimental vibe …” “… a strong, eloquent, dexterous performer…”

“There is nothing in this piece that does not echo with conviction” “Majestically outstanding”
Billie Staple’s PIG is about consent, consent, consent, evoking your anger, igniting your hope and leaving you smiling in the dark at the darkest parts of our humanity. In I AM WHO, Jasmine Donald performs a playful look into her mind, questioning through dance and video the conversations that go on between the mind and the body.

Johanna Cosgrove brings in her real actual aunt to sit on a deck chair and order you around in AUNTY, exploring differences in mentalities across generations. In WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE LIGHT? Kate Bartlett and Tallulah Holly-Massey explore escapism and space-negotiation by moving, talking, and placing their way across a room to reach fresh air.

NO/I/SE(LF) is an exploration of sound in space (with or without bodies) created by Thomas Press and Virginia Frankovich. And LITTLE SISTER, Alice Canton’s contemporary reimagining of the ballet Petrouchka, continues to develop over the entire Salon season.

There is no mutual provocation and zero parameters beyond the parameter of the room, anything and nothing could happen in Basement’s studio space.

Presented in the style of a performance salon, these works will take place at different points within the four hour programme – wedged nicely between installations, and the comfort of a room with seats and a bar. You can move about the space, leave, re-enter, leave again, re-enter and then leave at your leisure.
7 – 11 March, 6pm – 10pm, Basement Theatre Studio, Lower Greys Avenue, $5 Pay on entry or $25 Pre-reserve
Book at https://www.iticket.co.nz https://www.aucklandfringe.co.nz/

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

STAY CONNECTED

11,996FansLike
4,057FollowersFollow

Foreign policy + Intel + Security

Subscribe | Follow | Bookmark
and join Buchanan & Manning LIVE Thursdays @ midday

MIL Public Webcast Service