Help us fight this undemocratic law!

– Spark Financial Appeal

Workers Party Christchurch East candidate and school teacher Paul Hopkinson has been suspended under the undemocratic provisions of the 1993 Electoral Act.

Under the current law most public servants (including teachers) must take unpaid leave for the three weeks between nomination and polling day. Paul Hopkinson refused to take unpaid leave when requested, and as a result has been suspended without pay.

Paul is not going to knuckle under to this law, and he will press on regardless as part of our campaign to make workers’ issues hi-viz this election. But Paul is a working guy with a family who can ill afford three
weeks off the payroll.

Paul is doing his bit to fight for what’s right and he deserves backup. The Workers Party will do what it can to fill the gap, but we are a small group with few financial resources.

We’re appealing to all workers and democrats who hate injustice to help us fight this undemocratic provision of the Electoral Act.

Please send donations to Paul Hopkinson Appeal, c/o PO Box 10-282 Dominion Road, Auckland.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Workers Party announces party list for 2008 election

– Workers Party media release

Contesting the party list vote for the first time this election, anti-capitalist group the Workers Party has today named 14 candidates who will be standing on its party list.

“Our main campaign slogan for these elections is ‘workers should be running the country!’ and this is certainly reflected in our list of candidates,” says Workers Party national organiser Tim Bowron.

“All of our candidates are proven fighters whose only loyalty is to the working class who create all of the wealth in society – not the parasitical boss class that currently consumes most of it.”

Heading the list is Wellington factory worker and well-known musician Don Franks, who is also standing in the Wellington Central electorate.

Other candidates to feature prominently on the list include union organiser and Manukau East candidate Daphna Whitmore, schoolteacher and Christchurch East candidate Paul Hopkinson (currently suspended without pay by his employer for challenging the restrictions on public servants running for parliament) and Wellington Tramways Union President Nick Kelly.

[Read more…]

Saturday soapbox @ the Otara market

Check out the Workers Party soapbox stall at South Auckland’s Otara market on Saturdays from 8am until 11am during the election campaign. This Saturday (11 October) we have invited guest speakers to talk (10am to 11am) about last year’s October 15 police raids on activists and the Tuhoe community.

Workers Party Radio Address

Click here to listen to the Workers Party Radio Address for the 2008 election.

The music is by Wellington Central candidate Don Franks.