Trotter on Compulsion

Chris Trotter has officially jumped the shark.

While many have enjoyed his political analysis over the years, even the righties, he has shown lately that perhaps it's time to take him out the back and put him out of his misery. He opines in his latest column about the "need" for compulsory unionism in the workplace, something he says even Labour have abandoned.

Brilliantly, he manages to cheer and boo Roger Douglas in one paragraph - the whole "what did Roger do for us?" speil, while his subject is sipping an overseas beer.

I'll paste some here, it's ok - Chris is a man of the people and will not mind me sharing this with the proletariat, who I am sure read this blog to get their dose of commonsense.

'Unionism doesn't work with some people in and some out, son,' he says. 'All that does is let the employers divide and rule - and it encourages people to free-ride on the guts and sacrifice of others. I've always argued that if it's alright for the bosses to be protected by limited liability, it's alright for workers to be protected by compulsory union membership."'

"Too bloody true!" said Blue, taking another sip of his Old Speckled Hen.

"And you should have seen his face when Len rattled off what bar- staff were entitled to under the award negotiated by the old Hotel, Hospital and Restaurant Workers Union. Travel allowances, clothing allowances, penal rates, time-and- a-half, double-time, triple-time.

"'In real terms, son,' he said, 'you're earning less than I was back in 1973."'

"What did he say to that?" Blue inquired, gazing through the window at the windswept gaggle of university students hurrying over the pedestrian crossing.

Harry laughed. "He said, if compulsory union membership and national awards were so good for workers, why isn't the Labour Party promising to bring them back?"

"Bloody good question!" snorted Blue, distributing a fine spray of Old Speckled Hen across the table.

"I heard that Darien Fenton woman talking on the radio the other day - Labour's industrial relations spokesperson. You know what she says?"

"What did she say?"

"She says: 'Nobody on the Left is calling for the reintroduction of compulsory unionism and national wards."'

"Never asked us," said Harry.

Is this what the "new left" are going to pursue when Goof leaves the leadership in November? Will Labour be taken over by even more hardline unionists in 2012, presenting a true difference between the left and the right?

Who knows. I do know that if Fenton is against compulsory unions (for now) then why was she not against voluntary student unions?

What if given a political thrashing in November the membership led by Labour activists fuelled by the Mana Party starts to push for the return of hardline unionism?

Why are Kiwi leftists so out of touch with the rest of the world? Even the old "east" Europe have embraced low taxes, political and economic freedoms. They won't take being told what to do. How will Kiwis react being told by Chris that he knows best?

Best we consign ideas like this to the same place where the Berlin Wall ended up.