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Is there a crisis at the Nurses union?

by Whaleoil on October 23, 2012

There certainly could be a crisis at the Nurses Union. A constitutional crisis.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation constitution reads:

“6.1.10 Affiliate with other organisations in the attainment of these objectives except that NZNO shall not affiliate to any political party; and”

Owl’s Logic Steps.

  1. Labour Leader is selected via their 20% block vote of Unions
  2. NZCTU is part of the process of selection for the Labour Leader
  3. Nurses Union by way of affiliation are part of the NZCTU
  4. Members who join the Nurses Union are therefore part of the NZCTU.

Owls Observation:

How can you justify rule 6.1.10 and yet be able to vote for the next Labour Leader?

Can the NZCTU receive affiliation fees from the Nurses Union? (Based on the above logic steps and the ruling 6.1.10 of the NZNO constitution you could easily argue No.)

The Nurses who complained to Family First are right and should be applauded. I hope the executive takes their complaint seriously.

Tagged: • • • •

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  • Seems to me

    Seems to me a very long bow Mr Owl.
    As per the constitution they ie Nurses Union are not affiliated with any political party.
    Your logic at times astounds me…This is one of those cases.

    However, how they can get involved in political “motions” unrelated to their core business is beyond me. ie Supporting Gay marriage as a Union….. Thats crap.

    If the constitutional intent is that the Union does not play in the larger political sandpit then they should have remained mute on the gay marriage question.

    • Owl

      Thank you. The nurses made the complaint.

  • blam1

    wierd….just really fucking wierd the scraping of the barrel and the clutching of straws in this. Where does the labour Party fit into this ? 6. Objects 6.1 The objects of NZNO are to: 6.1.1 Lead the nursing profession through advocating for professional excellence and collective industrial aspirations; 6.1.2 Provide a forum for membership to identify, examine and take action on issues of significance to the nursing profession including members’ working conditions; 6.1.3 Give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership through representation of the concerns and interests of Māori members, and by seeking continued improvements in Māori health; 6.1.4 Advocate on behalf of nurses in the formulation of health and social policy for Aotearoa/New Zealand; 6.1.5 Promote the professional development and interests of its membership, including the development of nursing/midwifery internationally; 6.1.6 Negotiate and enter into industrial agreements, enforce such agreements, and represent members’ interests in disputes regarding such agreements; 6.1.7 Promote members’ interests including professional, industrial, cultural, social, economic, political and health and safety interests; 6.1.8 Promote the highest standards of health and social services for New Zealand ; 6.1.9 To represent the interests of any member or members, in accordance with NZNO policy, before any person, group, organisation, government or local authority, statutory or other body; 6.1.10 Affiliate with other organisations in the attainment of these objectives except that NZNO shall not affiliate to any political party; and

    • Owl

      Simple. NZNO website has videos and Labour policy videos all over it. Looks like Labour , smells like …probably is.
      Look at website and links…no scrapping of barrel
      The nurses made the complaint…I applaud them

      • blam1

        am well aware of the website, my partner is a Nurse

        Labour Party Video Policies ?

        Where ?

        using your logic

        A couple of nurses complained to Family First that NZNO supported the
        Marriage Equality Bill and these Nurses are complaining that they werent
        canvased…

        You are supporting these Nurses

        (btw, you missed an important part of that constitution, have another read,
        see if you can find it. Nothing to do with the Labour Party)

        Therefore Whaleoil does not support the Marriage Equality Bill (you may be
        the author, but you represent Whaleoil)

        The majority of Nartional Party Supporters support this bill, therefore the
        NZNO has strongly aligned itself to the National Party

        All of the ACT party supports this bill, therefore the NZNO has strongly
        aligned itself to the ACT Party

        A Minority of NZ First Supports bill, therefore Whaleoil has
        strongly aligned himself to Winston Peters and Andrew Campbell.

        • Owl

          You make valid points..I enjoy your debate. The nurses too have made valid points. I respect that. They also make the point that political agendas by people at the top refer family first press release. By having NZCTU videos on the website BY DEFAULT they support Labour hence the constitutional crisis based on 6.1.10.
          Parliament has supported it to it’s first reading and if I am correct it is a conscienous vote by national not a party vote whereas it was a labour member bill supported by labour. Hence the vote in favor past the first reading by a big margin. To be corrected labour were told it was policy and definitely supported.
          You do however have to agree that 6.1.10 is open up to interpretation. The videos and slogans was the clincher for me plus unions get to vote for the next labour leader under recent changes to labour party selection policies. Therefore I think the story line about the challenge to the constitution is valid.

  • 2ndAmendment

    At least Colin Craig has a sensible fucking policy on union cunts:

    1. Amend BORA to remove “freedom of association”. Freedom of assembly is a true right, but freedom of association is simply a watchword for communism.

    2. Deregister all unions. Confiscate all funds, return to public exchequer. Ban all union employees, office-holders, etc, from ever receiving any public monies (including super, ACC, etc), from holding any public office, or from entering into an employment contact. In perpetuity.

    3. Cancel all union contracts. Turn them into individual agreements at the minimum wage. Prosecute any employer raising this wage.

    4. Restore freedom to employment in NZ. Remove all current employment and occupation laws (no more OSH!). Employment is “at will” of the employer – employees owe the full common-law “duties of service” to their employers. Abandonment, dereliction, subversion, organization, etc become criminal offenses with mandatory jail sentences

    “The only union is the union between one man and one woman” — Colin Craig, Leader, NZ Conservative Party — God willing, NZ’s next Deputy Prime Minister.

    • Dave

      Hmmm never work, a lot of hotels, brothels and AirNz would suffer unduly, image how much their revenue would drop if unions could no longer travel.

    • Annon

      Good lord you really hate the average kiwi don’t you. Why don’t you just fuck off to a different country that would put up with your NAZI style shithole, ideas.

      • 2ndAmendment

        Sid Holland put a thousand specials onto the docks to shoot unionists.
        Massey’s Cossacks were fighing unions back in 1912.

        Until recently, New Zealand had a proud record in at wiping out unions and socialism!

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