Other struggles – International Socialists

Wellington McDonald’s workers standing strong

May 22, 2013 By ISO editor

Photo Credit: Damon Rusden

Members of our Wellington branch were proud this morning to stand in solidarity with Unite union members striking for a living wage at McDonald’s. McDonald’s makes hefty profits, but its workers, on casual contracts, are paid minimum wages.

The strike was solid – union members on a morning shift came out, and were joined by supporters from the union movement. It was great to see flags and banners from the NZNO (the nurses’ union), First Union, and the Tertiary Education Union.

McDonalds is using bullying and intimidation to try and scare workers out of standing up for themselves. We saw that this morning. At one stage the store even sent people to hand out free vouchers to commuters leaving the railway station! But the strike stayed solid.

Unionised McDonald’s workers are an inspiration to us all.

More pictures below the fold:

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Filed Under: Other struggles, Protests, Workers Struggles

Forestry bosses have blood on their hands

December 10, 2012 By ISO Editor

13 forestry workers have died in work related accidents in the past 3 years, 30 in the last 6 years. Just to put this in perspective the death rate in the UK forestry industry is 10.4 per 100,000 workers and in NZ 343 per 100,000. Some bosses blame workers drug use and call for increased drug testing but there no amount of excuses can justify this outrageous number of fatalities. We need explanations, and the forestry bosses need to be held to account for all these needless deaths.

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Filed Under: Enviroment, Other struggles, Topics, Workers Struggles

The Tragedy at Pike River: an Indictment of Capitalism

November 6, 2012 By ISO Editor

It’s just sickening to read reports of the royal commission’s findings on the Pike River disaster. 29 men lost their lives – and have left behind grieving families and friends – in what was an entirely preventable, and predictable, tragedy. The lawyer for some of the families involved calls it an “unrelenting picture of failure at virtually every level”: warning after warning about the build-up of methane gas was ignored, workers’ concerns were ignored, dangerous techniques kept up. All for Pike River Coal’s drive for profit.

Auckland bus drivers’ spirit prevails over dead hand of union bureaucrats

October 14, 2012 By ISO Editor

At a mass meeting Auckland bus drivers working for NZ Bus Ltd had thrown out a pay deal recommended to them by the First Union and the Tramways Union, and the drivers were set to strike on Monday, September 24, and every Monday thereafter. Every socialist and trade unionist should be aware of what happened next and of the full story of the drivers’ dispute so far.

Low paid women in revolt: Nationalise Oceania!

May 20, 2012 By ISO Editor

Low paid aged care workers at Oceania homes have been driven to revolt. Members of the Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota and nurses in the NZNO first struck on 1^st March, and again on 7^th. Stopwork meetings took place on 14^th March and strikes on the 19^th and again on 5^th April. Staffs at more and more of Oceania’s 57 homes have joined in the action as the campaign has worn on. Joint union spokesperson Alistair Duncan has explained: