1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: Now there are some criticism of ads running on Facebook 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: ahead of Thursday's mega strikes. The ads have been taken 3 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: out by the Public Service Commission and an example of 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: one of the ads is this this coming Thursday, more 5 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: than eight eight hundred and forty five thousand students will 6 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: miss out on class time. Genuine offers have been made 7 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: in the opportunity to bargain remains open now. Fluford Simon's 8 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: is the National Secretary of the PSA and with us 9 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: Hello flur. 10 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: Now, good evening. 11 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: Are you among those criticizing these ads? 12 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 2: Here we are. These are an unprecedented and inappropriate waste 13 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 2: of public funds. We've never before seen paid social media 14 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: by the state to try and persuade the public of 15 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 2: the government's position and collective bargaining. It's really quite unheard of. 16 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: How many public funds well, so far. 17 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 2: We don't know the full cost. I think it's a 18 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: small amount, less than to but it's it's not really 19 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 2: the money, it's the principle of it. The Public Service 20 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 2: Commission is politically neutral. It's fine for the Prime Minister 21 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: and Simmy and Brown, Judith Collins to come out and 22 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 2: play the political game. That's fair enough. I completely understand that. 23 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 2: But the Public Service Commission is politically neutral. It's there 24 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 2: to serve the government of the day, and they themselves 25 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: talk about how they build and maintain trust of the 26 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: public in themselves as a public service institution, and really 27 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 2: this goes against its core purpose and they certainly wouldn't 28 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 2: let public servants get away with this kind of action. 29 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: What have they done that's not neutral here is that 30 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: they haven't taken a political position. 31 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: Really, what they're trying to do is persuade the public 32 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: of their position in collective bargaining. First of those, you're 33 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 2: not to try it. 34 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: What's wrong with that? Yeah? 35 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and so as cabinet ministers and cabinet minister's role 36 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: totally appropriate, no problem with it, even though I think 37 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 2: they're being quite unhelpful, But that's up to them. But 38 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 2: the Public Service Commission is politically neutral. They are meant 39 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: to protect the political neutrality of the whole of the 40 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 2: public service and not enter into the political political It's. 41 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: Not potables dispute. There's no politics in it. Unless you're 42 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: telling me there's politics in it, Flir. 43 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 2: There's definitely politics in it. Something of health and education 44 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: services are always political. They are political choices made by 45 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: the government of the day. But really, what the Public 46 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: Service Commissions meant to do is be politically neutral. 47 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: Let me just explain something to you from my perspective. 48 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: This is an employment dispute. Right, So there are a 49 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: bunch of people who are unionized, not political, just unionized 50 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: workers who are striking against the government, well against their employer. 51 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: Their employer is the Public Service Commission, not political again, right, 52 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: so this is this is both sides of an employment dispute, 53 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: explaining to the public why their services are disrupted. I 54 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: don't know how that is political to you. I don't 55 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: know how you can accuse the Public Service Commission of 56 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: being political when all they're doing is explaining an employment dispute. 57 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 2: What they are doing is attempting to position themselves favorably 58 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: with the public when it comes to a collective bag 59 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: matter that is subject to good faith. They are running 60 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: the government's political lines, not the politically neutral position that 61 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 2: Public Service Commission just to run. They are operating outside 62 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: of their guidance and it is unprecedented. I don't mind 63 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: politicians doing it due to Colin's fair game, openly a 64 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: fair game. This is politically coordinated and politically motivated, not 65 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 2: politically neutral or not the role of the Public Service Commissioner. 66 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: Where is it political, because actually this is political from 67 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: you guys have started your labor aligned You've all got 68 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: together on one day to try and make as much 69 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: difficulty for a national led government, and so you see 70 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: the Public Service Commission as political because they're opposed to 71 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: you and your political Well, let's be. 72 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 2: Clear, strikes have happened under labor governments and under national governments. 73 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: But yes, it is political how much you choose to 74 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 2: fund public health and education services. And it is political 75 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 2: when there are vacancies unfilled in our hospitals, people working 76 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: double shifts, dietitians not being able to provide advice to 77 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 2: cancer patients, children not getting cleft palate surgery. These are 78 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 2: things our members are saying are happening in public hospitals 79 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: right now. Is that political? Of course it is. It 80 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: is a political choice about funding public hospitals and schools, 81 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 2: and that is made by the government and they need 82 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 2: to take responsibility for that, not the Public Service Commission 83 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: trying to influence the public through paid social media. 84 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: Though, Flir, it's good to talk to you. Thank you 85 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: for coming on that's Flirford Simons, who's the PSA National Secretary. 86 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 1: For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 87 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: news talks that'd b from four pm weekdays, or follow 88 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio