Fleur Fitzsimons

Disappointing start from Simeon Brown. Among the"everyday Kiwis" who make up the health workforce are tens of thousands of union members & delegates who, along with the "everyday Kiwis" who rely on them for care, deserve a lot better than this tired, old divisive rhetoric.

I wish she would apply this commitment in theory to gender equality to something other than making life harder for working women in practice.

Flexible work is good for everyone but especially important for women, people with disabilities, those with chronic health conditions.

I share the Minister's views that men should juggle household and childcare responsibilities no less than women do but our legal case is grounded in the world as it actually is, not as we would like it to be.

I think of this Goff Whitlam quote daily, it's so instructive and energising!

"A conservative government survives essentially by dampening expectations and subduing hopes. Conservatism is basically pessimistic, reformism is basically optimistic."

IKR! It attempts to go much further than the Act provides here:

These actions undermine other employers in this sector who are trying to do the right thing.

Mediation is scheduled for Tuesday, we need calm and respectful heads to prevail and sort this out urgently.

The worst thing about the lockout is that it will impact the very people being supported by these workers.

It's important people know about this dispute and the unlawful and aggressive tactics of this employer.

Many of these workers are Māori, Pasifika, and migrant workers.

The lockout is unlawful because the employer didn’t give 14 days’ notice - as required by law - and because the employer has not outlined their negotiating demands.

The union will be seeking remedies and recovery of any money lost by workers because of the unlawful lockout.

The lockout targets Kaitaataki (house leaders for residential disability support) preventing them from working the extra hours they rely on.

A defective lockout notice was issued on Wednesday in an total overreaction by the employer.

PSA lawyers have written to the employer saying the lock out notice is "an attempt to impose unlawful and improper pressure" on the workers.

The next step was to try and intimidate the workers by attempting to lock them out of their workplace and to refuse to offer extra hours in the lead up to Christmas.

Lockouts are a harsh and unusual form of intimidation and legal precision is needed when they are used.

Restricting this right will cause unnecessary financial hardship. Its no exaggeration to say these low paid workers are doing extra jobs for their own survival.

In response to these harsh bargaining tactics by the employer, the workers started low level industrial action.

If that wasn't bad enough, they also want to restrict the ability of these workers to undertake secondary employment.

For many workers in the disability sector, secondary employment is a critical source of extra income to meet their families’ needs amidst rising living costs.

An important industrial dispute is underway at disability support provider Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust.

First of all the employer wants to institute 90 day fire at will trials in a collective agreement.

Pure hypocrisy from the Minister, his Government sacked Department of Internal Affairs public servants whose job was to stop online harm and scammers!

#PublicSectorCutsHypocrisy
#PublicSectorCutsDontHeal

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