THE LOUSY POLITICS OF SUE BRADFORD

Despite having worked for the unemployed rights movement for many years, Green MP Sue Bradford - echoing the right wing market politics of her party - is supporting the Government's 'nine day fortnight' plan. This plan will see the workers affected face the prospect of a cut in wages, with the Government only prepared to subsidise the tenth day to the tune of $12.50 an hour (before tax) for five hours.

Bradford, who has clearly spent too much time cocooned in Parliament on a very high salary, thinks wage trimming is okay if it might save a job or two.

There is nothing in Bradford's limp press statement that suggests she has even considered challenging the Government's plan to make ordinary people pay the price for an economic crisis they were not responsible for.

Bradford, who for many years fought the efforts of politicians to 'punish the victims of their economic policies' seems to have no problems with it now.

Perhaps she should spend less time getting 'image makeovers' and spend more time talking with the people she claims to represent.

Bradford completely ignores the reality that trimming the wages of some workers will not prevent a massive rise in unemployment.

Take for example Sealord. Owned jointly by Nippon Suisan Kaisha of Japan and Maori tribes via Aotearoa Fisheries, it intends to cut 180 land-based jobs in Nelson and is not ruling out the closure of the plant itself.

It wants to cut the wages of the remaining staff by $70 a week.

At The Warehouse, which today announced a 24 percent drop in its half-year profit, there are plans to sack up to 1000 workers.

What is required is an uncompromising defence of every job under threat. It also means rejecting the Government's strategy to make workers pay for this crisis.

Bradford's miserable politics fail on both fronts.