capitalism

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discrimination (83)

What’s really going on at Ports of Auckland

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 7:42 pm, January 9th, 2012 - 125 comments

The Right is up to its old tricks over the Ports of Auckland. It’s the usual pattern: make up some bullshit about how the workers are spoiled and unreasonable, cry that the sky will fall if the company doesn’t get its way, and (this is the long-game) suggest privatisation as the solution. What you haven’t heard is the cause of the ‘crisis’: the Port’s attempt to cut the workers’ conditions and pay.

Rich attacks unions

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 6:56 pm, December 27th, 2011 - 98 comments

Katherine Rich attacks the waterside union in an opinion piece today.

But that’s not surprising given she’s being paid to speak on behalf of some of the biggest corporations in the world.

Anyone would think there’s some kind of connection between how strong unions are and how big a slice of the pie the rich can take for themselves…

The poor get richer?

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:33 pm, December 13th, 2011 - 81 comments

Phil O’Reilly’s article in today’s DomPost headed “The rich get richer but so do the poor ” is appalling. Responding to the OECD report on inequality, he is following in the footsteps of Alasdair Thompson. BusinessNZ are still dinosaur employers from the Victorian age.

The Most Important Economic Speech of His Presidency

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:20 am, December 10th, 2011 - 40 comments

Truth-Out content is licensed for redistribution, so I’m going to repost this excellent piece in its entirety. It’s long, but it’s worth it. Is Obama going to grow a pair at last?

The biggest fraud

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:58 am, December 8th, 2011 - 99 comments

In its final days, South Canterbury Finance quietly loaned $300m to related-parties. Breach of the deposit guarantee scheme’s rules. Nats did nothing. When SCF collapsed the related parties got off scot-free – if they owned SCF bonds, the Nats even paid them $350m voluntarily. Now, the Serious Fraud Office has laid the biggest fraud charges in history over SCF. What’s the bet it’s over those related-party loans and bonds? And where’s our fucken money?

Law firm sets out business wish list

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:09 am, December 1st, 2011 - 97 comments

Law firm Chapman Tripp has taken it upon itself to summarise the business community’s expectations for National’s second term. Back to youth rates, and that’s just for starters.

If we stick with the status quo

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:02 pm, November 24th, 2011 - 14 comments

Another of those pictures that is worth a thousand words.

Wall St Occupation evicted

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:27 am, November 16th, 2011 - 14 comments

As has been widely reported, the Wall Street occupation at Zuccotti Park was evicted in an overnight raid yesterday. By refocusing media attention on the Occupation, will this eviction only make them stronger?

Who really benefits from asset sales

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 4:35 pm, November 12th, 2011 - 25 comments

Brent Sheather assesses the case for asset sales in today’s Herald. He cuts through the crap and concludes “selling the SOEs doesn’t look all that clever, particularly from the perspective of young people and those other sectors of society who won’t be able to participate in the offers in any material way. This is likely to be at least half the population.” He looks at who really benefits, and it’s the fortunate few once again.

The impact of right wing economics

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:14 am, November 6th, 2011 - 32 comments

1980 saw the election of Ronald Regan as US president. On taking office at the start of 1981 he ushered in a package of right wing economic policies that soon picked up the nick-name “Reganomics”. How did that work out for workers and for inequality?

Dr David Suzuki message to the world

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:38 am, November 3rd, 2011 - 4 comments

This address from Dr David Suzuki to the world, delivered to a gathering at Occupy Vancouver, attracted some attention in comments yesterday. Well worth watching.

Greek democracy

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 8:20 am, November 3rd, 2011 - 82 comments

So, a government says that the people will have the say on its budget, and global markets plunge. Was there ever a clearer sign that the interests of the capitalist elite and the people are at odds, and the capitalists know it? It’s interesting that Papandreou has chosen to force a crisis and headed off a coup. Around the world, ordinary people want radical change.

Evicting Occupy Dunedin

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:01 am, November 2nd, 2011 - 20 comments

Yesterday was a dramatic day for Occupy Dunedin. A trespass eviction deadline of 8pm came and went, but after a big show of public support, the Occupation is still there. Dunedin North Labour candidate David Clark lends his support to the movement.

The Qantas lockout

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 3:22 pm, October 30th, 2011 - 127 comments

There’s a lot going on with the Qantas lockout that isn’t being reported in our media.

This guest post from a reader who’s an aviation industry expert gives the dispute some context.

Do you feel lucky PREFU?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:22 am, October 26th, 2011 - 72 comments

The PREFU paints a pretty dismal picture of the economy. The worst case scenario is catastrophic, and (at one in five) I think that Treasury has significantly underestimated the odds. Do you feel lucky?…

Why is it wrong to want a better world?

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:30 am, October 25th, 2011 - 37 comments

“The truth is, the world cannot be made perfect” says Deborah Hill Cone, arrogantly dismissing the Occupy movement. And she may be right. But that does not mean we are living in the best of all possible worlds and that the injustices and imperfections of our world are things we just have to accept. Rijab takes her on.

The austerity death trap

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:15 am, October 25th, 2011 - 89 comments

In response to tough economic times, Government austerity programmes do more harm than good. It’s a pretty simple equation based on the debt / GDP ratio. With an election coming up soon, NZ needs to look for economic competence and a willingness to try new ideas, rather than muddling along deeper into the austerity death trap.

Labour day

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:55 am, October 24th, 2011 - 16 comments

On this Labour Day it is good to see that the Labour Party is staying true to its roots, and is out there working for a labour policy to lift the wages and conditions of the workers of New Zealand.

National’s Little smears and the big issue of market greed

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 6:40 pm, October 21st, 2011 - 42 comments

A good interview from Andrew Little on the Nat’s failed attempt to smear him over facebook comments. Nice comments about David Farrar and strong support for the occupy movement. Good to see.

By the way, is it just me or is National’s obsession with opposition social media starting to look less like straight research and more like creepy stalking?

A global test of non-violent protest

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:07 am, October 20th, 2011 - 24 comments

The Occupation movement has bankers worried. So far, however, the protests have been peaceful. In fact, the Occupation is quickly shaping up as the biggest ever, world wide test of the efficacy of non-violent protest.

The denial machine

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:42 pm, October 9th, 2011 - 7 comments

It’s scary ‘coz it’s true.

Losing the class war

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 12:32 pm, October 7th, 2011 - 73 comments

The median (‘typical’) Kiwi income has fallen 6% under National after inflation. It’s worse if you’re Maori – 16%. And if you’re PI? 21%. That’s more than a hundred dollars a week. It’s a disgrace. In fact, ordinary people’s incomes have shrunk faster than the economy under National. Their policies have driven more of what’s left to the rich.

Doldrums

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:10 am, October 7th, 2011 - 48 comments

Looks like the RWC isn’t going to be the economic stimulus that we hoped. We’re stuck in the doldrums, and (just like in England) the government’s austerity programme is exactly the wrong response.

Bait and switch

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:25 am, October 5th, 2011 - 27 comments

The national icon suddenly announces that the future of the thing we pride ourselves is at stake. Some big mean foreigners are going to take if off us. Oh no, oh no! Fortunately, there’s a solution. It just requires a few tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. Sound familiar? As with the Hobbit, now with the All Blacks. We got suckered once. Will we again?

Occupation 2 – 700 arrested

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:13 pm, October 3rd, 2011 - 16 comments

The Occupation, now into its third week, seems to be growing. As is the Police response. In the latest development police have arrested more than 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge.

A Smidgen of Truth Escapes the msm

Written By: Bill - Date published: 1:19 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 15 comments

It’s not often that ‘bald truths’ escape the filtration of the msm. The video below is an example of one of those rare moments.

Occupy Wall Street!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:32 am, September 29th, 2011 - 39 comments

Have you heard of Occupy Wall Street? If you are one of the 99%, you should have…

Be careful what you wish for

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 3:25 pm, September 25th, 2011 - 43 comments

On Friday the government announced a law change that opens the door to a whole world of cheap contract labour now available to anyone producing short projects like advertisements, tv episodes or parts of movies in New Zealand.

Many of the industry locals who will be most hurt by this are the same ones who were banging the drum against actors and for international producers during the Hobbit dispute. Ironic, huh?