Celebrating the Worker | Ae Marika! – Hone Harawira

Posted on May 2, 2012 by admin in Ae Marika

May the First is INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY – worthy of our reflection on where we’re at and where we’re we going.

National governments are notorious for their philosophy of slash-their-bloody-wages-and-then-flog-the-workers-some-more. This one has been particularly so and Bill English’s recent comment that government can’t do much about the job market sum’s up National’s attitude perfectly – because in fact there is a hell of a lot that they can do.

They’ve passed legislation granting millions and millions of dollars to big business in tax breaks and stood back while the Ports of Auckland and Talleys have been actively engaged in trying to smash the unions – and their response to workers has been a 50c an hour pay rise and massive staff cuts in the public sector.

Unions have taken quite a pounding over the past 20 years, and haven’t always been that positive in the fightback. The rallies down the Port and around the country at the AFFCO plants suggest that maybe their time has come. Workers all round the country will certainly be hoping so.

I went up to Te Rerenga Wairua for the start of the AOTEAROA IS NOT FOR SALE hikoi last week. Ngati Kuri sent us off with a karakia and a good dose of local humour. A couple of students from Te Rangi Aniwaniwa did the first leg down to Waitiki while the Murrays cut out the beach, before we all met up for the march through Kaitaia. And what a wonderful march it was too. Hundreds of people from all over the far north, good spirits, good humour, good weather – and the kids were wonderful!

No reira e nga mokopuna mai i nga Kura Kaupapa o Pukemiro me Te Rangi Aniwaniwa – tena koutou katoa e tuhi nei i nga panui, e karanga ana i nga korero me nga waiata hei tautoko i te kaupapa. Na koutou te ra i tera wiki; na koutou te ra äpöpö.

On Anzac Day, Vietnam veteran Hirini Henare led the HIKOI through Kaikohe carrying the Whakaputanga flag. Then we had an excellent rally in Moerewa addressed by speakers from the Kura, the AFFCO workers and whanau trying to stop the Cycleway stealing their land. And then Hirini insisted on marching through Moerewa and on to Kawakawa.

The march through Whangarei was a quiet affair, but the one up Queen St in Auckland was anything but … Thousands of people from all walks of life, a samba band, rapsters, home-made sound systems, and hundreds of banners and placards really lit up the city in a positive statement against government’s current policies of asset sales and trampling on the rights of workers, beneficiaries and the poor.

There was also good representation from Labour, the Greens, NZ First … but I have to say … MANA has been an absolute standout on this march right from day one, helping out with organising, with placards, banners, feeding people, marshalling, driving and being part of every leg of the march. If there’s a point of difference it’s that MANA is a Movement first and a political party second, in the same way that I am an activist first and a politician by necessity. Congratulations MANA. I don’t say it often, but you guys been awesome.

And the Maori Party? No MPs to be seen, no flags, no nothing … just like National.