the progressive workers' strike

[Lias]

Not like we'll find anyone in the know on the kiwibiker website - progressive don't pay their employees anough to buy motorbikes!

My uncle works for progressive (No hes not striking, nor is he some hugely paid executive) so I'm not just sitting here talking shit out my arse.

[Deano]

Not like we'll find anyone in the know on the kiwibiker website - progressive don't pay their employees anough to buy motorbikes!

I started my first part time job at Woolies when I was 15, on $2.98 per hour. (Probably minimum wage)

Within 6 months and a lot of hours worked I was able to afford my first motorbike. Then I discovered alcohol and girls and didn't manage to save any money again for many years.

[Paul in NZ]

Yes, I don't think she picked her battle carefully enough. There's no real meat in it. Unions need to pick their causes carefully, pick something that is easily understood and generates public sympathy. A strike over having one national contract instead of three regional ones (that's not really what it's about, but that's what tyhe public see) doesn't grip the heartstrings.

I wouldn't say she went too far, because with Progressive there's no middle ground, you either roll over and accept the shafting, or fight. But she needed to manufacture a more spinnable casus belli.

Or she needed to make sure she could win if it came to a knock down fight.

In any negotiation you should try to provide an honourable outcome for both parties. Going for the king hit all or nothing solution is a pretty high risk strategy I would have thought? One thing is for sure, they have got a massive problem on their hands now...

It's one thing grabbing a tigers tail, it's quite another letting go...

[LilSel]

There will be various pay rates I would imagine but it won't be far off mimimum.

They pay above minimum, the pple that are striking at the moment are from distribution, and get paid more than the checkout operators etc you see in store. *knows this*
I went into the store I used to work in (for 5 years) the other night to get some red bull... and there was the 'supersize my pay' bus and a whole lot of workers from distribution striking, with loudspeakers etc. blocking entrances/exits to the carpark (?). needless to say, due to this, the police arrived soon after. I had a chat with my old work mates, they wern't so happy about the goings on of late.
Because they belonged to the union, they were to strike in store for an hour. Not because they wanted to however. *shrug*... sounds a bit wrong to me.
People in store that belong to the union are being made to strike as well??!
Futhermore, blasting on the loud speaker 'do NOT shop at foodtown, woolworths countdown and pricechopper' to me is like self sabotage.... if customers shop elsewhere, then sales would fall, less stock would be required to be sent out and the need for distribution staff would fall... thus putting more of people out of work?. Are they not making the situation worse for themselves?? *shrug*

[Indiana_Jones]

I started my first part time job at Woolies when I was 15, on $2.98 per hour. (Probably minimum wage)

Within 6 months and a lot of hours worked I was able to afford my first motorbike. Then I discovered alcohol and girls and didn't manage to save any money again for many years.

So that's where all my money's going!

-Indy

[Paul in NZ]

They pay above minimum, the pple that are striking at the moment are from distribution, and get paid more than the checkout operators etc you see in store. *knows this*
I went into the store I used to work in (for 5 years) the other night to get some red bull... and there was the 'supersize my pay' bus and a whole lot of workers from distribution striking, with loudspeakers etc. blocking entrances/exits to the carpark (?). needless to say, due to this, the police arrived soon after. I had a chat with my old work mates, they wern't so happy about the goings on of late.
Because they belonged to the union, they were to strike in store for an hour. Not because they wanted to however. *shrug*... sounds a bit wrong to me.
People in store that belong to the union are being made to strike as well??!
Futhermore, blasting on the loud speaker 'do NOT shop at foodtown, woolworths countdown and pricechopper' to me is like self sabotage.... if customers shop elsewhere, then sales would fall, less stock would be required to be sent out and the need for distribution staff would fall... thus putting more of people out of work?. Are they not making the situation worse for themselves?? *shrug*

Hmmm... Sounds like someone using union techniques from the 50's... That aint gunna work..

[Lou Girardin]

Because they belonged to the union, they were to strike in store for an hour. Not because they wanted to however.

That is the definition of UNION. What are unions supposed to do? Call for volunteers to strike?
It's called solidarity. The only power those at the bottom of the food chain have.

[Patrick]

And d'y' still wonder why I oppose arming the police with Tasers ? Any cops want to still maintain the fiction that Tasers will only be to protect them from "vicious criminals" ?

But the policehave always been the willing tools of the capitalists, nothing has changed since Massey's Cossacks.

if Pepper spray isn't allowed at protests, how are Tazers going to be?????

[Finn]

if Pepper spray isn't allowed at protests, how are Tazers going to be?????

That's crazy. What are you supposed to do to protect yourself, throw doughnuts at them?

[Ixion]

if Pepper spray isn't allowed at protests, how are Tazers going to be?????

Its a picket line, not a protest

[Finn]

Its a picket line, not a protest

Excellent formality Ixion. I say shoot em!

[Ixion]

Excellent idea. I'm all in favour of it. There's nothing better than martyr's blood for fueling Revolutionary fires. Perhaps we may yet add "Progressive" to "Putilov" in the annals of liberation.

[Patrick]

Its a picket line, not a protest

A Picket line "PROTESTING" about shite wages...

[Paul in NZ]

Excellent idea. I'm all in favour of it. There's nothing better than martyr's blood for fueling Revolutionary fires. Perhaps we may yet add "Progressive" to "Putilov" in the annals of liberation.

yeah but can we get them to wait until next winter? Revolutionary Fires always burn hotter in the winter of discontent..... Seems a bit girly to have it in spring?

[Hitcher]

Its a picket line, not a protest

Semantic twaddle.