Is it really about casualisation?
The Maritime Union have said their strikes and industrial action is because they are against casualisation at Ports of Auckland. Labour have also said this is what they are concerned about.
However Cactus Kate blogs:
The problem with MUNZ’s, Fenton’s and the left’s argument about casualisation is that right now MUNZ is pursuing a case against POAL in the Employment Court to prevent the Port offering permanent jobs to “lashers”.This is not a joke. They are AGAINST casuals getting permanent jobs.
It would be hilarious, if not so serious.
So what is it about?
You may think so, but not when the Union bullies (mainly old, white crusty’s like the charming couple we met yesterday on this blog) have the top jobs and like to take the overtime at their much higher rates rather than allow the lower paid workers to get permanent jobs.
It is indeed simply about patch protection. They don’t want outsiders working on the Ports. By outsiders, they mean Pacific Islanders and women. A MUNZ senior official was sacked for his racism against Tuvalu workers, and they have resisted workplace changes that would make it easier for women to work there – the result being 2/300 are women. We hear lots of people complaining that only 28% of Parliament is female – well how about a workplace which is so hostile to women they make up 1% of the workforce only?
If you think I am being harsh, read the extracts from the court documents Cactus has, and especially the letter from “Billy T James”