Labour not directed by unions – yeah right
November 19th, 2011 at 1:26 pm by David FarrarPhil Goff claimed today that Labour is not directed by any unions. It is of course just a coincidence that the CTU wrote their workplace relations policy which gives them pretty much everything they asked for.
Only 7% of private sector workers are in a union, yet they dominate Labour. Whale has a list of the backgrounds of the Labour List.
80% of their top 10 have a union background, and 70% of their top 20.
The current average of the public polls has Labour projected to get 35 MPs. Of those 35, 22 or 63% would have a union background.
I’m all in favour of unions helping out employees who chose to join. I’m not in favour of them controlling the Government.
And no I’m not in favour of business controlling the Government either. And in the last three years business organisations have been significantly critical of many Government decisions such as keeping WFF and interest-free student loans.
I want a Government that governs in the national interest, not in the interest of the powerful groups that constitute their party.
Could you imagine the outcry if National allowed (for example) the Regional Chambers of Commerce to actually join the National Party, get seats on selection committees, have votes at conferences where their vote counts for much more than individual members, vote on party policy with their weighted numbers and gets a seat on the ruling Board?
When will someone in Labour be brave enough to reform the party, so it is one (natural) person, one vote? Parties should be comprised of individuals, not of corporate entities.
Related posts:
- Unions gain vote on Labour leader
- Trotter calls for an end to unions joining Labour
- Do unions put members or Labour first?
- Unions helping Labour
November 19th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
“When will someone in Labour be brave enough to reform the party, so it is one (natural) person, one vote?”
Andrew Little will probably do that, once he gets to be an MP and after he sacks Goofy.
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Well David, you see the Labour/Union relationship is actually nothing like the corporate influence on politics because……
Umm…
[DPF: You're right, it isn't. It is far worse. No business or corporate gets a vote at a political party conference]
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
The deadly duo of socialists and unionists are joined at the hip.
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Whale also has a post on union involvement in the pro-MMP campaign where Lairbore pamphlets are handed out.
It’s scummy, isn’t it. I don’t understand why National doesn’t just ban all unions from political involvement on the grounds they purport to represent their workforces so that’s all they should be allowed to do, at all, ever, with any resources whatsoever. They should not be allowed to donate any of their membership fees to any political group whatsoever. Why should they be allowed to do that? Membership fees are given by their workers so their workers can be represented in their own workforce, period. If that’s what they say they are about, that’s all by law they should be allowed to be about.
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
I’m all in favour of unions helping out employees who chose to join. I’m not in favour of them controlling the Government.
And no I’m not in favour of business controlling the Government either.
I want a Government that governs in the national interest, not in the interest of the powerful groups that constitute their party.
so you’ll be voting Green then ?
[DPF: Nor one controlled by that corporate multi-national Greenpeace]
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Got any proof for that claim ?
[DPF:Name one issue on which they disagree?]
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
“Tags: Labour, unions”
I had to check this was not tagged as humour because Goff is telling bare faced whoppers when he suggests that Labour is anything but joined at the hip with the Unions and that they are pissing in each others pockets.
In fact, a background as a Union flunky would appear to be a prerequisite for selection as a Labour List candidate because their List looks very thin on talent and not exactly a threat to the membership of MENSA.
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Oh FFS. Govt. is business. The country is business. without business there would be no money.(well in the real world.).
Business should have a lot more influence given that it is business that supplies the money, either via wages or goods and services.
Want to test this out. Make a list of the places that money is generated other than the usual suspects such as the Labour Party, the unions , Green Party and the Maori’s.
Big list?
Vote:Thought Not.
November 19th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
How could any patriotic New Zealander vote Green Blackie?
It’s controlled by one of them asshole Aussie Wanks.
If you want to stick up for your country vote for a party controlled by a real Kiwi Wank.
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
The Green Party want you to vote for THEM, while Greenpeace wants you to vote for someone other than Greenpeace (protip: the Green Party).
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
[DPF:Name one issue on which they disagree?]
Is that your proof…really ?
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
Lefties have been rabbiting on for years how the National Party is controlled by Federated Farmers, but who has seen busloads of farmers arrive at a hall for candidate selection.
Vote:November 19th, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Someones’ gonna get it shortly
Vote:November 20th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
re. Andrew Little: At Pike River, Miners union (EPMU and forerunner) failed in representing workers industrial health and safety interests – with pay and benefits the most basic of workers welfare interests – (which of course includes monitoring performance by Dept. Labour of mining safety responsibilities). Basically this is the fault of trade union membership who have permitted a takeover of their union (and trade unions generally) by people from the urban educated liberal elite who see themselves more as part of the “labour movement” than as trade union activists. This description appears to fit Andrew little miners union/EPMU Little General Secretary for 11 years until recently – now Labour candidate for New Plymouth (and perhaps also predecessor Rex Jones) during which 11 years the rot set into mining safety – following the destruction of regulation by previous National Governments (left unremedied). Both Jones and Little found time to be President of the NZ Labour Party at the same time as being EPMU General Secretary. Mr Little apparently wasn’t likely to robustly challenge the industrial safety policy failures of Labour Government Ministers of Labour and dereliction of public duty by Dept.of Labour chiefs
Vote: