Is
Labour supposed to be the party of labour or of capital?
It’s often hard to tell these days, and many in the labour
movement and the political left are feeling betrayed this
week by the Government’s announcement of a pay freeze for
public sector workers.
The Government has essentially
directed all their departments and agencies not to give any
employees earning over $60,000 any further rises for the
next three years, except in “exceptional
circumstances”.
It’s effectively a pay cut for the
vast majority of public sector workers, as the cost of
living and inflation will drive down the value of their
Dr Bryce Edwards
Opinion - Is Labour supposed to be the party of labour or of capital? It s often hard to tell these days, and many in the labour movement and the political left are feeling betrayed this week by the government s announcement of a pay freeze for public sector workers.
Photo: Pxfuel free image
The government has essentially directed all their departments and agencies not to give any employees earning over $60,000 any further rises for the next three years, except in exceptional circumstances .
It s effectively a pay cut for the vast majority of public sector workers, as the cost of living and inflation will drive down the value of their incomes during that time. It will apply not just to those in government departments (or the core public service) but also to workers in other government agencies such as schools, hospitals, the police force, prisons, defence forces etc.
Political Roundup: The Public sector worker backlash against Labour
8 May, 2021 05:04 AM
13 minutes to read
The Labour Party has effectively given the vast majority of public sector workers a pay cut. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Labour Party has effectively given the vast majority of public sector workers a pay cut. Photo / Mark Mitchell
By: Bryce Edwards, for the Democracy Project
Bryce Edwards is a lecturer in Politics at Victoria University@bryce edwards
OPINION:
Is Labour supposed to be the party of labour or of capital? It s often hard to tell these days, and many in the labour movement and the political left are feeling betrayed this week by the Government s announcement of a pay freeze for public sector workers.
As of today, the Free Speech Coalition is no more. But we’re not giving in to the enemies of free speech to the contrary. We are delighted to announce the launch of our bigger and better effort: The Free Speech Union.
The name is not ironic. One of the early wins of the trade union movement was the limited work day – that when you knocked off after 8 hours, you were no longer a servant of the employer class. With the enemies of free speech now going after people’s employment, it is a principle we need to re-assert.
We think it says crisply just what is now needed to defend freedom of speech. We need to stand with people being intimidated, cancelled, deplatformed, piled on by social media, doxxed and threatened with bankruptcy if they seek legal protection.