LITTLE'S LURCH TO THE RIGHT

Labour leader Andrew Little does right by his business mates and decides that, actually, Labour won't scrap the 90 day fire-at-will 'probationary period' for new workers. But he can continue to count on the support of the same organisations that supported  Labour at the last election.

IT'S BEEN SAID THAT LABOUR LEADER Andrew Little seems to spend more time talking with the business suits than workers, so it comes as no surprise that - after another cosy business breakfast - he has announced that his party will not be scrapping the 90 day 'probationary period' for new workers.

Little has backpedaled from June of last year when he, as the party's spokesperson on labour relations,  plainly stated that "we don't need the 90-day law and under Labour it will go".

At the time he said that employers were just using the law as a convenient way to dismiss workers rather than genuinely try out new staff. Which is entirely true. Many unfortunate workers have suddenly been deemed surplus to requirements on the 89th day of the 90 day probationary period.

But under Little's leadership, Labour is moving ever more to the right - what mainstream commentators blandly describe as gravitating toward  the centre. Centrist politics is the unequivocal endorsement of the market; the market knows best, kneel and pay homage to the power of the market.

Andrew Little might slap the business sector with a wet bus ticket on occasion, but he will never confront the market and certainly never threaten its rule. Indeed as a trade union leader the business sector found him to be a pleasure to work with, and he is continuing to be a loyal friend of business as the leader of the Labour Party.

Bearing in mind Labour's deliberate foray into anti-immigrant territory, Labour's new lurch to the right again raises questions about the left's continued allegiance to this party.

While, at best, they might offer some mild criticisms of Labour now, come election year organisations like the CTU and the Unite Union will be calling for another vote for Labour. As well left groups like the International Socialist Organisation, Fightback! and Socialist Aotearoa will be defending Labour as the 'lesser evil'.

These, of course, are the same organisations who wheeled in behind Labour at the last election - with disastrous results.

Apparently no lessons have been learned. So take you're partners folks and join the CTU, the Unite Union and loyal Labour cheerleaders like Chris Trotter and Martyn Bradbury in another dance of the doomed,

Or, alternatively, you can - like nearly a million non-voters at the last election - just sit it out.