Telecom's relentless determination to dump on it's workforce!

One of the nastiest aspects of the so-called ‘free market’ economy is its propensity to screw the workers who have contributed so much to company profits. Many of our top companies espouse policies that claim to value and support their ‘people resources.’ All of that has amounted to nothing if we are to believe that Telecoms latest moves to dump more than 1000 skilled workers is nothing more than a slap in the face to any claim that such companies care about their workers. These firms have ‘team-building days’ and they feed their workers nothing more than lies about ‘bright futures’ if only they support the culture of the said firms.

Telecoms actions are tantamount to lies and serious misleading of their employees, all in the name of massive profits and huge salaries for the directors and shareholders. Not only are the workers left high and dry, but New Zealand as a country risks losing many of these skilled people, because bills do not go away and the need to seek new employment will drive them overseas. We will be left with a sizable skills-gap and once again we will be searching for qualified replacements just as we observe our economy beginning to ramp up.

Why Telecom, just at a time when people were actually starting to believe that things were changing? Your timing and your rationale are all wrong. You don’t give a stuff about New Zealand other than a place to extort profits. Do not be surprised when New Zealanders take umbrage at your latest actions and find new ‘providers.’

Gone are the days when firms had a social conscience. A once proud company has stooped to new lows and they in the end will be the loser.

New Zealand does it again---now your milk will taste better!

Good on you, Fonterra, the New Zealand company that is fast becoming the biggest dairy producer in the world. Their latest offering is a high tech triple layer plastic bottle that will keep milk fresher and better tasting for longer. This is cutting edge technology, something that New Zealand is very good at. This time it will benefit all milk lovers and no doubt the technology will have flow-on effects to other products.

Baristas say that the milk is easier to ‘stretch’ and that it tastes better in the coffee too. I can’t wait to have my coffee with this new product. Keep a look out for the new milk containers. Mmmm--- I wonder of we can use them at home once the milk has been consumed to store other products.

Fonterra say that the cost of the bottle is more but that it won’t make milk cost more. Yeah right---it costs more than Coca-Cola as it is!

UK readers---you are closing in on Russia

It seems that my readers in the UK have almost caught up with those from Russia. That is because Russia has completely dropped off the scene. Hell, I haven’t been giving Russia too much flak lately; that is no more than other countries. Maybe I should write some blogs that are specifically about Russia----the music, art, incredibly diverse geography just to start, instead of the political machinations. Then again, I can’t help it---Russia is so bloody ‘interesting.’ Mother Russia; particularly a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, is most definitely on my ‘bucket list.’ Just think about it---if five million Russians brought my books I would be swimming in ‘largesse.’ Hey, if every library in Russia brought my books I would be able to achieve my dream. So (not just the UK and Russia) ---go to my website and buy my books. I have reduced the prices.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Hey Canada!

I'd love to know who is reading my blogs and get a bit of feedback eh! Before I depart this world, one of my dreams is to visit some of those beautiful islands in the passge between Vancouver Island and the 'mainland.' I have a forned form Quadro and there are many others that I have seen on Google. I have even read a two great books about life there. It looks pretty damn harsh n the Winter, but I could always get on over there in the Summer and pretend that life is 'always good.'  Myabe it's a dream, but it's a goodie!

Nick Smith---back off Auckland! We don't need your meddling.

A recent report about the future ‘spread’ of Auckland painted a picture that would best be described as a compromise between allowing an endless expansion of Auckland’s urban sprawl and‘containment.’ This meant that in selected areas, Auckland would be able to crawl over onto the green belt but at the same time, ‘moving on up,’ to a varying degree; like in some ‘hubs,’ the high rises would be to about 4 levels and at others, quite a lot higher.

These medium and high density high rises are planned to be around town centres with good transport links. To Aucklanders, it represented a good balance; they know that they cannot keep spreading over our valuable agricultural land. Let’s face it--- we need that land to feed us and anyone living in outer suburbs knows how long it takes to travel to the central city or to the other side of the sprawling mass that is Auckland. The fact is that Auckland spreads our far more than cities with ten times the population overseas.

We need our public transport to work for us; not necessarily making huge profits, but the maths all point to a higher density population to make it work. Other services also benefit from higher density living.

 We in Auckland are slowly changing; both in ethnic make-up and in attitude. They are different to rest of New Zealand. It is this change that will allow for the ‘new Auckland;’ the one that will see a thriving economic base and one that we can all enjoy with the ‘closer facilities’ that result from a more efficient city. There will still be the outer suburbs where it may be cheaper to live and also the larger sections that many will still desire. As long as we have a choice with this ‘compromise as proposed by the current Mayor and his council, then I believe that we are on the right track.

BUT---along comes Cabinet Minister, Nick Smith, with his proposal to legislate against Auckland’s plans for the future. He wants to allow for much more agricultural land to be opened up, all in the name of increasing the land needed for new housing on the periphery of Auckland; this at a time when Auckland must look to changing the historical mistakes of the past.

Nick, we don’t need your interference. We don’t need your bullying tactics. Leave Auckland alone, other than giving the support you should normally give, as in any other New Zealand city. Auckland’s Mayor and city planners may just have struck the right balance this time, so we don’t need your interference and thereby put us back many years as a result. Back off!

John Banks---what a plonker!

Yesterday John Banks (minister outside of Cabinet bad only there because John Key ‘needs him to prop up this Government) waxed lyrical about the failings of David Shearer and the latter’s failing to divulge an overseas bank account to Parliament. Banks demanded that Mr Shearer step down for his position for this quite tiny act. To Mr Shearer’s credit, he quickly made amends and made what could have been an embarrassment go ‘away.’ Thus David Shearer probably did not cop too much flak.

Now tonight we hear that John Banks was a holder of shares or at least had strong links to the company that has caused so much stress to teachers and other staff in schools who have still not seen the end of this stupid debacle.

Now is the time for David Shearer to show his true mettle, and let others do the ‘damaged.’ Mr Banks---your actions speak volumes about how low you are prepared to go, but your actions reflect just who you really are----a political nobody who has reached far above your ability and moral stature. Maybe it is time for you to bow out, just like your disaster prone former leader, Rodney Hide.

My Key---you must be rueing the day you got into the same political bed as dear Banksie!