Comments on: A public servant’s right to protest

By: ghostwhowalksnz

ghostwhowalksnz — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:01:36 +0000

Sacked ? She was offered another position because there was a conflict of interest.
She didnt take it and took monetary compensation.
In the Private sector you wouldnt have someone working with top executives of Vodafone who had a partner working for Telecom , who was with the group of people working to undermine Vodafone.
As usual Tim you manage to ignore the truth

By: Tim Ellis

Tim Ellis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:59:40 +0000

I don’t see a pattern GWW.

What I do see is a very good state services commissioner standing up for the rights of public servants holding private political opinions. It’s a pity Mr Rennie wasn’t in the chair when a certain public servant was sacked not for her political opinion but of that of her partner. Or perhaps things might have turned out differently for another public servant if Mr Rennie had been the SSC, had the state services minister not abused her in Parliament.

All under a Labour government so no I don’t think there’s a pattern GWW.

By: Blog Bits | Kiwiblog

Blog Bits | Kiwiblog — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:31:55 +0000

[...] Grant Robertson blogs that State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie has told the Dept of Labour they were wrong to advise staff not to take part in a rally on pay equity. This is why Rennie is so well respected – he is not scared to get offside with Ministers. A pity he wasn’t Commissioner when Labour were getting Madeline Setchell sacked over her boyfriend’s job, and smearing Erin Leigh for resisting a political appointment.

By: ghostwhowalksnz

ghostwhowalksnz — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:11:14 +0000

Under a previous National government protesting in parliament grounds got the public arrested, and under this government the Ministers have twisted the CEOs arm to stop public servants protesting.
See a pattern here?

By: jabba

jabba — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:58:25 +0000

millsy, there have been many business closing over the past year or 2 with unemployment at it’s highest rate for many a year .. the phrase “tight times” is not bs.
I have 3 kids in the work force .. 1 a nurse at Middlemore who has a 1 year daughter so only works nights and weekends and she could do with more $ (and doesn’t need a admin workload increase) and 2 boys in the private sector (1 a Builder and the other a Painter/decorator) with both professions under the gosh. Both the boys jobs pay under $20 ph.
The boys are just hoping to keep their jobs and the thought of even asking for a pay rise isn’t on their radar.
I hope that when we come out of the recession properly, employers acknowledge the part their employees played in the companies survival and compensate them is an appropiate way.If they don’t, I will be hammering them in anyway I can.

By: Nathan Mills

Nathan Mills — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:33:05 +0000

And just as an aside, if a Union member has a problem with pay equity, have to ask what sort of a job is their union doing for them?!

By: Nathan Mills

Nathan Mills — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:31:09 +0000

I have my doubts that the gender gap exists because of the glass ceiling or an old boys club attitude exists in most areas of business these days (altho only a fool would deny there are undoubtedly some holdout areas!). I just wonder what exactly is expected to be done about it? If women don’t apply for higher level positions through their own choice, hardly something that can be legislated is it? Does anyone know of any actual jobs where women are paid less than men for the same job?

By: ParkDrive

ParkDrive — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:50:19 +0000

Hear hear Millsy

Tight times are when employers should be keeping their staff and focus their attentions on selling to the nation rather than exporting.. but this bs about NZ being an “exporting” nation has held it’s enthralling grip on farmers and fonterra for the last 40 years. Yes, capitalism works. We’ve all seen it works just. so. well. *sark*

Keep the staff, reduce exports, sell to the homeland. Total volume will drop, total receipts will drop, but revenue will go up.

Why? Simple economics. It’s so blindingly obvious. Kiwi wages pay for Kiwi made. It’s a beautiful concept. Obviously when employers see that wages arent able to afford kiwi made, two things will happen

1) wages will increase
2) more staff will be hired in order to cope with increased demand for products due to higher wages

thus endeth the lesson

By: millsy

millsy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:07:51 +0000

“thing is that we are all in tight times”

Im getting sick of this ‘tight times’ BS. Everywhere, these at the bottom the heap are expected to wear the worst of this recession.

By: kaine T

kaine T — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:52:08 +0000

@ Jabba… I think part of what you’re saying is right. But the fact is, the public servants asking for the pay rise are front line staff… I don’t think I have seen many policy advisors out on strike yet… but, the government has a commitment to improving front line services, you don’t do that by asking a nurse to start operating a till, filling out twelve forms for each patient as well as taking care of the front desk… just as an example.

Remember the service is probably around 10% in general behind their private sector colleagues…ok, we accept that is appropriate in some instances. However, the point is, you can’t squeeze the people doing the job right?

There is no reason why private company workers can’t strike if they want to. High unionism rates in the service gives workers greater strength in numbers. But… I do think there is more to the picture than what you’re saying. I do feel bad for anyone who puts a year’s good work in, like you have I’m sure, and doesn’t have the opportunity to demonstrate a rationale for an increased share of improved productivity. But… You can’t expect public servents to have to take all the effects of the recession on their backs either right?