Copyright thestandard
Electricity workers in Southland on a meal break on Sunday, photo from Powernet’s Facebook page. On this Labour Day, a massive shout out to all the workers in Southland, Otago and other areas affected by the storms last week. Paid and volunteer, obvious and those in the background doing support for the frontline workers. Three days after the ‘we’ve never seen wind like that’ storm, many parts of Southland and South Otago are still without power, with companies warning that it make take a week to get everyone back online. This past week has shown the immense value and utter necessity of working class people. Can we please stop with the fucking workers over and the AI replacement bollocks? There are lots of people doing essential admin and management jobs right now as well, and we will always need the people who are willing to get their hands dirty. We were reminded of this in the pandemic, nothing functions without working class people. I hope it’s also obvious the connection between the rights of working class people and the climate crisis. Leaving aside the climate politics for a minute, we’re in the long emergency now*. I really, really want workers to be well paid and supported, for the sake of them and their families, and for the sake of our communities. In emergencies and in the polycrisis transition work we all need to engage in. Big shout out to Southland folk too, who are doing proud their long tradition of manaakitanga and helping each other out. And the politics? While searching for an image for this post, I came across this in the Herald from July 2024 (archived version), Downer power workers including technicians, line mechanics in job cut proposal, union says A union says Downer Group’s plans to cut jobs from its power workforce could be disastrous for people caught up in storms or car crashes. Joe Gallagher of E tū union said jobs for some technicians, line mechanics, faultmen and cable jointers could be at risk as Downer proposed cutting… 33 roles. A spokeswoman for Downer, New Zealand’s biggest listed infrastructure business, said the proposal would potentially affect 0.32% of its workforce. The company employed 10,000 people. She was unable to comment further. Downer New Zealand’s net profit fell 50% to $18.7 million in its 2023 financial year. Gallagher said union members and the company were due to start a two-week consultation process from today. Thirty-three out of 10,000 doesn’t sound like much. But it’s the constant chipping away at systems that need building up instead. Best we don’t leave essential workers and infrastructure in the hands of the market. *Joanna Macy and David Korten call it The Great Turning, whereby we have the choice to shift from an industrial growth society, to a life-sustaining civilisation, rather than the now inevitable collapse if we continue on our current trajectory.
