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Dick of the Week – Damian Christie
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Darien What About Small Business Owners?

by Whaleoil on August 20, 2012

Darien Fenton at Red Alert writes about alleged labour abuses

No-one knows how deep this morass is. I think stamping this out is going to take some effort from of all of us.  We have to expose the poor treatment of migrants and we have to demand action.

Many of the Whale Army are owners of their own small businesses and not only have their homes mortgaged for capital in their business in bad times but pay themselves less than they do their own staff and often the minimum wage.

Is Darien blubbing on Red Alert on their behalf, about the workers exploiting their hard work and entrepreneurship with a guaranteed pay-packet and legal protections? Of course not.

She’s too busy running a campaign on behalf of the Unions to recruit members.  Labour and Unions are horrified that migrant workers are smart enough to see Unions as stand-over thugs who want to flog their pay packets rather than genuinely help them.

Darien Fenton is nothing more than a Union stooge and every word that comes out of her mouth is entirely to pay back her Masters who put her so high up the Labour Party list.

 

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  • blokeintakapuna

    Thought Fenton’s doppleganger was the “Face of the Day”…
    Q. How do you tell when a Labour Party politician is talking shit again?
    A. – Their lips are moving again…

    • random

      What is a Labour MP supporting unite which is totally insolvent and therefore can not exist as a union…basic law here. They need migrant workers to boost their balance sheet.
      Really do MPs do their homework!

      • landly

        Hopeless at business, obviously. Her parents gave her a boy’s name, Darien, and one associated with total business incompetence. Clearly predetermining character and outcomes.
        Wikipedia says Darien was some 17th century failed Scottish attempt to be businesslike and clever by establishing a colony near Panama. Complete washout.

      • Sarrs

        It’s such a joke, unions telling the gov to pony up and pay out more to people yet they are withholding the very resources that would allow the gov to be able to do it. Muppets. Imagine if everyone had that mentality – I’m not getting what I want from the government so I’m not paying my tax. Just proves over and over how out of touch they are with tax paying NZers who just put their heads down and get on with it.

  • Sarrs

    Here is what immigrant workers in NZ say to the prospect of joining a Union:
    You mean to tell me that in NZ a worker’s rights are protected by the law? And there is a minimum wage? And a tribunal set up explicitly to deal with workers who feel they aren’t getting their fair share? And that’s all available to everyone? And you want me to pay you to do what exactly?

    FFS Darien, they didn’t come to NZ to give a hunk of their hard earned wages away for you to point out facts and processes that are available freely to everyone. Does she think just because english isn’t their first language that they’re vulnerable and ignorant? What an insult to our immigrant community.

    • Random

      Unions are now picking on migrants…they are making a problem which isn’t there. They need their cash for fees…unions have lost millions of dollars. A new union has been set up for migrants. Unions have been set up for a 100 years and no one joins them – well 10% of the workforce do.
      Here is the ultimate union challenge
      Union go into any company and ask to meet all employees earning over $75k. Then tell them that if they join the union and pay us $5 a week we will get a better deal for you.

      • Phar Lap

        Yet with all the money the United Union gouged out of their members.one of their mouthpieces called,
        Mc Carten was found guilty by the IRD for not paying tax .Hope when the United Mafia come around to collect more payola from fear stricken members,someone might have the guts to ask,what will happen to the money.

        • Magor

          They will never do this as those that supposedly earn this amount are in fact their enemy!

          • Magor

            Sorry this is a reply to random

  • random

    Why o why are small business owners to blame for migrant workers…”tip of the iceberg” …. my god I could put up 10,000 small business owners who dont abuse migrant workers – what she is saying the whole of the nz small business operators are corrupt, so dont trust your local tyre service man or even Mr Whippy.

    So next time you buy an ice cream of Mr Whippy please ask for a certificate to say the he has gained certification in how to employee migrant workers and the hamsters running the treadmill in the back of the van to keep the fridges going belong to the union.

    How can we ever buy an ice cream in the same light again. I will break the news to kids tonight.

    If Unions are so incredibly good at what they are doing…why did a TV program do all the leg work?

    • Pete George

      “what she is saying the whole of the nz small business operators are corrupt”

      Maybe not quite that but she’s certainly slagging off many small business owners because a few arne’t good employers.

      Just imagine the uproar at The Standard once they realise that Labour is again dissing a lot of their potential voters beascue of the sins of a few.

    • Sarrs

      Because, didn’t you know, if you own a business you are a ‘rich prick’ – regardless of the fact that most business owners in NZ take home less a year than union leaders. 90% of the small businesses I deal with employ 1-5 staff and only one has made a profit of more than $100k before owners’ wages and salaries for the 2012 tax year. No WFF and no independent earner tax credit for these people and yet they are the enemy of these unions who see them as exploiting workers. The only ones being exploited are the business owners who slog their guts out to make sure there’s enough money to pay everyone’s wages and get bitch slapped by ignorant unions in return.

      • GregM

        Totally agree Sarrs.
        Last month my part time lady took home $1600, my take home was a big fat zero. And yet today when I walked downtown i got harangued by union losers to sign their petitions, and when I won’t, then i get told I’m a ” rich prick living off the sweat of the workers”. The same lot that are supporting some loser chick who can’t hold down a job flipping burgers.
        The only thing the union has done for her is make her permanently unemployable. Who’s going to give her a job now?

  • John Q Public

    Why are Unite not picketing all the migrant owned Lucky Gold Star Horse Dragon eateries that are in fact exploiting other newer migrants by paying them below legal minimums, as well as the handful of percipience slights occurring over at the “evil” Burger King empire?

  • John Q Public

    *perceived*

  • Pete George

    “I believe is just the tip of the iceberg.”

    “No-one knows how deep this morass is.”

    So why not cast aspersions on all migrants and all businesses. Bene on the roof bashing worked a treat last week.

  • random

    Let me tell you how poor this is – Unite 2010 accounts shows they are insolvent by $236k – they lost $64k and rode out – increased creditors net by $13k but the standard accounts payables increased by $34k – any supplier in that group is at risk of not being paid.

    Furthermore and here is the kicker – the Union staff paid themselves $623k up from $465k and increase of $158k from 2009.

    Anyone want to do the maths here quickly about what is going on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Sarrs

      Yea, that creditor is probably only the IRD and the reason it increased from year to year will be due to penalties and interest being charged.

  • Owl

    Unite Union set up a Charitable Trust called the Unite Charitable Trust on 25th June 2012. The Trustees are as expected. Purpose – will looks like a new union when comparing the existing Unite Union constitution and the new Unite Charitable Trust – documents are available on the MED website.

    A review of the Unite website shows no communication to its members of the Charitable Trust that has been set up which quite frankly admirable.

    It would be good for the members to know don’t you think? I mean there is a full page splash on the debacle at Burger King. Once again the Owl always apologizes if I have miss-read the information.

    The OWL wishes Unite all the best in their new Charity

    Observation: Where does the funding come from?

    • Sarrs

      Oh. my. god.
      That’s an out and out dodge. I guarantee you that charity is a sham set up solely to avoid repaying the outstanding debt owed to the IRD. The IRD should pick it to pieces.

      • Guest2

        more info Sarrs – great observation OWL

        • Sarrs

          http://www.ird.govt.nz/resources/0/8/08146d804c40dd08ba6dba9bfdad1782/tib-vol24-no7.pdf

          Page 8, Para 4
          8. To establish sham, it must be shown that the parties did not intend to create the legal rights and obligations recorded in the transaction documents; and that they intended that third parties would be misled by those documents into considering that the parties had created those legal rights and obligations. In considering whether there is a sham, the courts are concerned with the parties’ subjective intentions and not with the economic substance and commercial reality of the transaction.

          If Unite transition from using their incorporated society vehicle (the current one, which has the debt with the IRD who are the third party) to using their charity vehicle without transferring the IRD debt then it could be argued that the charity was set up to defeat the legal obligations (the repayment of the IRD debt) of the incorporated society by leaving it insolvent, no longer trading and therefore completely unable to meet its repayment obligations.

          • owl

            The first question is why did they set it up? The union is insolvent but doesn’t mean they are aiming to close it down. The union can’t fund the charity because it is insolvent so where is the new funding coming from. The union fees can’t be transferred to the charity as a whole unless each member signs to say their fees can.
            Why wasn’t the new charity put up on their website? I mean they write up big political blogs about all the great things they do? Why would you set up a charity which “purpose” is the same as your existing union? The trustees are the same as the union?
            Why aren’t the annual accounts not filed? Why would you set up the charitable trust in the incorporated society site and not the charities site when you call it a charitable trust? So many questions !

        • owl

          Thanks Guest2 – had noticed a while back..always thought some from labour or the unions would open the door on this. Going down to. Burger king at 7ish and shout my kids when they get home if the buses are working. Anyone can met me there

          • Random

            Which one Owl…will met you there? My shout

          • Guest2

            I’m there too…let’s do one of those flash mob things and happy to donate to the new charity on the block lol.

          • owl

            Just ordered a whopper burger chips and the kids…what’s area of town is the BK by Cornwall park?

    • random

      There is only two ways to fund this – increase union fees (but hey migrant workers are exploited) and part % age goes to charity or all the Union fees go – I find this whole thing very well —–very very interesting – how can an insolvent union start a charity? Sarrs more info please!!!!

    • guest2

      how can they do this?

    • Random

      Right now Matt mcarten etc will be going WTF! We have been snapped..good on you darien..

  • Liberty

    There is a smell of a jackup over this so called exploitation
    of workers.

    Firstly we get a hatchet job by Pinko TV.

    Then within a few days the union is out in force with glossy hand outs.

    Out to save the workers from the evil capitalist.

    This so called exploitation
    would have been going on for some time.

    If the union had been doing its job it would have been fully
    aware what was going on.

    To busy drinking coffee down at Trades Hall plotting the takeover
    of Labour.

    Its hypercritical of the unions/labour to complain about exploitation when

    Comrade McCarten failed to pay his workers Tax.

    Now The unions have 20% Control in The labour party. We can expect a lot more

    Of these cheap publicity stunts.

  • Grizz30

    Some of the Immigrants must think they are back in their Home countries with unions replacing the Triad gangs.

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