October 31, 2008
Talk given by Workers Party Manukau East candidate Daphna Whitmore at an election meeting at Otahuhu College, Auckland 29 October 2008
I want to talk about law and order and police in South Auckland. The Workers Party believe we need fewer cops, not more cops as most of the parties are saying.
I work for a union that is organising worksites such as McDonalds.
For the past month McDonald’s workers have taking strike action. There have been over 40 strikes in the past 30 days. These McDonald’s staff work hard; they are on their feet all day and get just over $12 hour. It’s a poverty wage and the hours of work are uncertain, going up and down each week.
McDonald’s workers at Auckland Airport went on strike a couple of weeks ago. It was a perfectly legal strike and they stood outside in the carpark to hold a peaceful picket. But the security bosses at the airport tried to stop the strikers and called the cops who were there in minutes.
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Civil Liberties, NZ 2008 Elections, Workers in Struggle | 
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Posted by WP Admin
October 31, 2008
Workers Party media release
The Workers Party has condemned the decision today by the Crown Prosecutor to lay fresh charges of ‘participating in an organised criminal group’ against 5 of the social justice activists arrested in last year’s so-called ‘anti-terror’ raids.
“Having failed to make the terrorism charges stick, the NZ Police and Crown Prosecution are now trying to smear these Tūhoe and social justice activists as nothing more than a criminal gang,” said Workers Party national organiser and list candidate Tim Bowron.
“The real criminal gang here are the members of the NZ Police force who last October terrorised the people of Ruatoki, and who continue to act as the hired thugs of the ruling class on a daily basis in this country by routinely breaking up union picket lines and workers’ demonstrations,” he added.
The Workers Party, contesting the party vote for the first time this election, calls for the abolition of Labour’s “anti-terrorism” legislation along with all other laws that restrict working peoples’ freedom of speech and activity. It also campaigns actively against all forms of racial oppression and inequality.
ENDS
Official Workers Party statement on October 2007 ‘anti-terror’ raids available here.
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Civil Liberties | Tagged: Ruatoki Raids, Section 98a Crimes Act | 
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Posted by WP Admin
October 30, 2008
Workers Party media release
Over 30 prominent academics, teachers and trade unionists have signed an open letter in support of suspended school teacher Paul Hopkinson, standing as the Workers Party candidate for Christchurch East in the upcoming election.
Despite campaigning only in his own time (weekends and school holidays), Mr Hopkinson was told that due to a provision of the 1993 Electoral Act concerning
the political activities of public servants he would have
to take unpaid leave for the three weeks leading up to
the 2008 general election.
Mr Hopkinson considered this an undemocratic restriction
on his participation in the political process, as having a
partner and two children to support and not having any
other financial resources to fall back on he simply cannot
afford to take unpaid leave. He also felt that it places
small minor parties like the Workers Party at a
disadvantage, as unlike the major parties Labour and
National they cannot afford to pay their candidates’
wages for the duration of the election campaign.
After refusing to take unpaid leave, Mr Hopkinson has
become the first teacher in New Zealand to be
suspended without pay by his employer.
Below is the open letter in support of Hopkinson and list
of signatories. This document is also available online
here.
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Posted by Tim B
October 25, 2008
Workers Party media release
“Remember the National Party initiated dawn raids in the 1970s” Ms Clark told reporters on the election campaign trail in South Auckland on 23 October.
“Either Ms Clark is ignorant of the facts or she is knowingly concealing the truth” says Daphna Whitmore, Workers Party candidate for Manukau East. “Labour was in government from 1972 until 1975, and the dawn raids on Pacific Islanders began in 1974″.
A quick check of the Samoan history section of the Encyclopedia of NZ confirms that indeed Labour began the raids nearly two years before National came to office.
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No Comments » | Civil Liberties, NZ 2008 Elections, NZ Labour Party, Samoa | Permalink
Posted by WP Admin
October 14, 2008
The Spark recently spoke to Workers Party Christchurch East candidate Paul Hopkinson, the first school teacher to be suspended under the undemocratic provisions of the 1993 Electoral Act.
Under the current law most public servants (including teachers) must take unpaid leave for the three weeks between nomination and polling day. Paul Hopkinson refused to take unpaid leave when requested, and as a result has been told by his employer that he is being suspended without pay.
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No Comments » | Civil Liberties, NZ 2008 Elections, Party News | Tagged: NZ 2008 Elections, NZ Electoral Act | Permalink
Posted by WP Admin
October 11, 2008
- Spark Financial Appeal
Workers Party Christchurch East candidate and school teacher Paul Hopkinson has been suspended under the undemocratic provisions of the 1993 Electoral Act.
Under the current law most public servants (including teachers) must take unpaid leave for the three weeks between nomination and polling day. Paul Hopkinson refused to take unpaid leave when requested, and as a result has been suspended without pay.
Paul is not going to knuckle under to this law, and he will press on regardless as part of our campaign to make workers’ issues hi-viz this election. But Paul is a working guy with a family who can ill afford three
weeks off the payroll.
Paul is doing his bit to fight for what’s right and he deserves backup. The Workers Party will do what it can to fill the gap, but we are a small group with few financial resources.
We’re appealing to all workers and democrats who hate injustice to help us fight this undemocratic provision of the Electoral Act.
Please send donations to Paul Hopkinson Appeal, c/o PO Box 10-282 Dominion Road, Auckland.
No Comments » | Civil Liberties, NZ 2008 Elections, Party News | Tagged: NZ Electoral Act | Permalink
Posted by WP Admin
September 25, 2008
- Workers Party Media Release
Workers Party Christchurch East candidate Paul Hopkinson is the first school teacher to face penalties for challenging the undemocratic provisions of the 1993 Electoral Act.
Under the current law most public servants (including teachers) must take unpaid leave for the three weeks between nomination and polling days.
Hopkinson has refused to take unpaid leave and as a result has been told by his employer that he will be suspended without pay.
“I think that it’s outrageous that just because I’m employed by the state I am not allowed to participate in the democratic process and stand for parliament without being subjected to severe financial penalties,” says the sole breadwinner for a family of three.
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Posted by Byron
September 8, 2008
- WP Media Release
Workers Party candidate for Christchurch East, Paul Hopkinson, may be forced to step aside as a candidate due to a discriminatory clause in the 1993 Electoral Act.
Because Paul Hopkinson is a school teacher in a state school, he is subject to a clause which could require him to take unpaid leave for the duration of the election campaign.
“This clause is onerous and discriminatory because it prevents people from participating fully in the electoral process,” he said.
“Unless you have the backing of a large wealthy political party, or are independently wealthy, you are unable to participate. I should not have to take leave; I should not have to choose between standing in the elections and supporting myself and my family” he added.
If he was employed by a private school, he would not be subject to the clause.
“This is an important issue because this anti-democratic clause means thousands of New Zealanders are prevented from becoming fully involved in the elections,” he said.
No Comments » | Civil Liberties, NZ 2008 Elections, Party News | Tagged: Civil Liberties, NZ Electoral Act | Permalink
Posted by WP Admin
September 1, 2008
- John Edmundson
So the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union has suspended one of its workers because he is standing for parliament on the Act ticket. Shawn Tan, a former Green Party member who became a convert to Act, has been suspended (on full pay) because there is a clause in his contract which prevents his running for parliament without the permission of the EPMU national executive.
The Workers Party has a very clear view about this case and others like it. Regardless of the reactionary trajectory of Shawn Tan’s politics, we believe it is essential that any worker has the right to express his or her political views and to run as a candidate for political office without the interference of an employer. To take any other viewpoint would be to concede additional power to the capitalists over their workers, not only within the workplace but also in their employees’ lives beyond the workplace.
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7 Comments | Civil Liberties, NZ 2008 Elections, NZ Labour Party | Tagged: EPMU, Shawn Tan, ACT Party | Permalink
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