Posts by DexterX
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Hard News: Unwarranted risk, in reply to Keir Leslie,
A little too little to late - it is game over.
The Nats must feel very fortunate - what with Shearer seeking to appeal to National Voters and Len sitting on his hands or keeping them deeply in his pockets.
-
In the late 50s early 60s a survey was done for a rail link/line from Marsden Point to the Oakley Creek it was to connect with that part of the western rail line that runs through the Mt Albert/Avondale area.
Perhaps the potential play is to actually downsize the Port of Auckland - move most of its functions to Marsden Port and Tauranga. Providing the opportunity for Auckland City to sell off or lease out a significant part of the "Portland" and retain enough of it for Cruise Liners, fishing and warehousing (for stock in transit/or distribution) and use the sale/ground rent to fund other infrastructure projects.
In essence what happens to the watersiders is nobody's concern except theres..
The recent ridiculous port expansion that Len Brown supported could have been “others” having fun with him to feel out how far "out" they could get him to go.
Went to the march today and was surprised to see David Shearer there - he had said he wasn't for or against the watersiders in this dispute.
I wonder what next after the "Night Mayor" of Auckland, Jester Len Brown - The Clown Prince of Darkness Cameron Brewer?
-
There are 300 people that have been laid off yet the jobs are still there.
Prior to "all of this" POAL was returning 6% - with "all of this" including the contracting out to unskilled labour via AWF and others will POAL and Auckland City even get close to a 6% return as opposed to 12%?
That the POAL dispute has turned to the minefield is insanity as regards NZ Trade/Exports lead economy - the MFAT and other cuts - the Nats have never had it so easy.
Len Brown and Auckland City in asking for 12% and couldn’t see where this was going is mindless/witless.
David Shearer and Len Brown are not supporting the union/workers – their core constituency/voters – it doesn’t bode well for the next 3 to 6 years - They are neither for nor against the watersiders. This leaves them nowhere - which is the road NZ is on.
It is the beginning of the end of collective bargaining and the demise of the Labour Party – CTU should stop funding Labour – there is a need for a political party that supports working people, growth in the economy and is capable of providing leadership and solutions that are inclusive.
Presently NZ is being pruned back to nothing and the opposition voice is absent - Labour are looking to be National lite.
-
Hard News: Unwarranted risk, in reply to Rob Stowell,
Len Brown - the morning report interview - his thinking is all at sea - he sounds quite the loon.
Red Alert sums it up well 29 Feb 2012:
http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/02/29/the-mayor-the-port-and-the-wharfies/It is a tragedy what has been allowed to happen - Len Brown in his own words.
“The issue is, there is a huge temptation for me to throw myself into the middle of this, and I could.
“As the mayor of this city I’ve got a mandate and we certainly have the power because the company is 100% owned by our council on behalf of you all, and so I could get in amongst that.Len Brown, Council Transcript PDF - this is linked to in Red Alert paged mentioned above..
The culmination of our Labour Laws is that for workers - your collective agreement ends - you don't accept casualisation and/or retrenchment of your terms and conditions -you are locked out and eventually out of work - your job goes to someone else.
The continual train wreck that results from the mismanagement of NZ economy continues.
-
From the herald - The Auckland Super City via POAL have money to burn - likely near on $20 million - being 8 mill in lost revenue and 11.5 Mill redundancy payouts - never mind the other laudable other funding goals and projects ( the train set) Len wants to pursue.
But Mr Brown said his hands were tied by legislation and it would be "absolutely inappropriate for me to jump into disputes or run the port out of the mayor's office."
Showing leadership and taking a wider view to facilitate a solution is "absolutely inappropriate" - could he explain how so with what is at stake.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10790557
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10790553
-
Hard News: Unwarranted risk, in reply to Kumara Republic,
To those who get locked out - look no further than the Synovate dispute
However - those that have been locked out by POAL have now been made redundant.
-
Chocks away here goes.
Something Len and other Councillors, who are allegedly left (left of centre or who purport to be concerned about the plight of workers and their families) could have done is get Council as a whole to reconsider the decision to ask for 12% and Len could have grown some gonads shown leadership and appealed to both parties POAL and the union to continue to meet in good faith on the basis that POAL don’t lock out or make the workers redundant – until Council reviews the decision – Len could have promoted this approach as being in the wider interests of Auckland and in the National interest to keep the Auckland Port working.
Len appears to be basically saying, “It is not in my job description” – what a lame cock he has become or always was. What is the defining moment of his mayoralty thus far?
I am mindful the situation is being dealt out by the same (sort of) people at local and central govt who gave us the RWC opening fiasco and the mammoth super city merger overruns.
I would like to see some form of opposition be it the press by OIA, Labour, NZ First, Mana or someone investigate and publish the core of the Council decision to ask for the 12% return – was a feasibility study or review done to ensure that this goal was achievable and the what achieving the 12% entailed – what was required to get the return – was it based in reality – did the Council and the Mayor sign off on a default position/direction to POAL of – “How do we get 12%?”, “I don’t know”, “Lets phuck the watersiders”, – “OK good plan” – “Go for it” – “All in Favour?”
I feel the union has been set up and under what I suspect was the guidance of CTU Prez walked right into it – Helen Kelly and fiasco seem to go hand in hand – the union hasn’t perhaps seen what was really at stake. The union should have played a different game.
Was the figure of the 12% POAL return requirement pulled out of the same dark murky dung covered recess using the same black ops methods as the pre-election opening the books bullshit statements and the recent Bill English statements – guessing or misguided optimistic outlooks with no foundation.
I am well tired of general thrust that was NZ under the Lange/Douglas & Bolger Richardson govts where the climate of work and the provision of “public service” was driven generally by management/cabinet expectations that were not founded in reality or had regard to the public interest. A situation where everyone except management types were beaten up to achieve a sub optimal outcome – the over reliance on consultants etc, etc – Yet here we as a nation at this very same place being forced to drink the same old cup of cold sick and it is promoted as a cure – asset sales and all.
The POAL was working well, the staffs were paid performance bonuses and the operation of the port was by all accounts competitive internationally and a success.
The economy felt to me like it was showing signs of recovery.
It is a mindless waste and the reasons advanced for the dispute are IMHO bullshit, bullshit is about to prevail. Another set of terms and condition and something that worked well has gone for good.
-
Hard News: Unwarranted risk, in reply to Tom Semmens,
When you're a one trick pony government
I have to correct you - they are a no trick pony.
-
Groan - Sally Ridge may have an FBI/Mr Freeze complex in taking a Kim Dot Com approach to Parore - perhaps Adam Parore he will be remanded, not into custody, but into the black caps line up.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personalities/news/article.cfm?c_id=72&objectid=10789949
-
The note on the note - reminds me of some of Dad's sage advice:
"Women/Men/relationships are like buses, people get on and get off, if you miss one don't get overly concerned there will always be another coming along and you can see where that takes you ".