Dom Post on Labour’s 1970 workplaces policy
October 20th, 2011 at 11:00 am by David FarrarA second editorial pouring scorn:
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If living standards were determined by government decree, Labour’s new industrial relations policy would be a breakthrough contribution to an age-old debate.
Sadly for the low-paid workers Phil Goff’s party is trying to woo, wishful thinking has nothing to do with living standards.
The consequence of hiking the minimum wage from $13 to $15 an hour, as Labour is proposing to do, will be to deny more unskilled young job seekers the opportunity to get a foot on the job ladder. The consequence of telling international film producers it is our way or the highway will be for them to pack their bags. And the consequence of requiring all employers in an industry to offer the same minimum set of terms and conditions will be to ship more jobs off overseas.
It is arguably the great job destruction policy we have ever seen.
The only winners from Labour’s work and wages policy, unveiled on Tuesday, will be unions, which can expect a temporary increase in members and influence.
These are the same union that not only fund the Labour Party, but actually are members of it, and have significant voting rights with it?
Circumstances vary from workplace to workplace. To succeed in the global market, businesses have to be flexible. Rewards should be shared fairly, but the way that is done should be a matter for shareholders, managers and employees to work out, not bureaucrats in the new Workplace Commission that Labour proposes to create.
Oh it won’t be bureaucrats on the Workplace Commission. It will be full of former or future Labour MPs.
Related posts:
- Labour’s Industrial Relations Policy
- The Press on Labour’s 1970s workplace policy
- National’s Employment Relations Policy
- Middle Earth under Labour’s new workplace policy
October 20th, 2011 at 11:08 am
The Herald is equally scathing: Labour policy revives bad old days: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10760282
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Yet more hypocrisy from DPF and the right; the Business Roundtable can dictate the policy direction of successive National Governments yet if unions have any involvement in Labour Party policy-making it’s cronyism
[DPF: You really need to find a more believable meme. As others have pointed out the BRT is a major critic of National's lack of reform. They are appaled that National is not (for example) bringing back youth rates.
Your other failure is that the BRT has never donated a cent to a political party. While the unions donate huge amounts to Labour, and in fact are often members of Labour giving them voting rights]
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 11:18 am
They are going to drop the 90 day rule which has given people a chance at employment. This is fairly standard practice for countries like ours. But somehow the Labour Party lead by Darien Fenton think they can legislate reality away. Nice to see the Tory Press is back.
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 11:18 am
YOu are about 3 weeks behind with that argument Kites, it has been comprehensively demolished a number of timesalready. Get with the program or go back to party HQ for updated trolling instruction/reprogramming.
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 11:19 am
Mighty_Kites
Feeble. Suggest you play with it next to a power line and try to spark it up a bit.
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 11:22 am
With Noddy and BigEars still leading the Labour Party, is it no wonder their “back to the future” failed recipe for workplaces policy is the best they can come up with.
Labour are a tired old party (probably now even obsolete) full of tired old retread MPs. When will they realise that they need to move FORWARD into the future, and that they need fresh talent with new ideas to achieve this?
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 11:27 am
Three Rings for the Union kings living a lie
Vote:Seven for the Delegates with their hearts of stone
Nine for Mortal Business doomed to die
One for the CTU on its dark throne
In the land of Labour where the Unions lie
One Contract to rule them all, One Contract to find them
One Contract to bring them all, and in the Darkness bind them
In the land of Labour where the Unions lie.
October 20th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
It looks like Phil is making a play for that mighty army known as “Rob’s Mob”.
JC
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
I’m assuming mightty kites and marsman are the same person, certainly posting off the same song script.
Vote:October 20th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
What the hell does that mean?
Vote: