'Which side are you on?' asks the old union ballad, and that's the question commentators and activists on the left have been asking Len Brown and David Shearer throughout the ports dispute. Many have not been impressed with the response - or lack of it - and are saying this will have direct political repercussions for the Mayor and the Labour Party. There's a suggestion that both men might have their political careers cut short as a result.
Len Brown has finally broken his silence on the issue, and is suddenly making numerous media appearances - for example, watch TV3's John Campbell ask Len Brown where he stands and listen to RNZ's interview, Auckland mayor defends his role in port dispute. While making sympathetic noises, both Brown and Councilor Richard Northey (listen to RNZ's Councillor supportive of union position) are pretty clear that they will not be siding with the workforce. The voices of leftwing councilors such as Mike Lee and Cathy Casey have also been conspicuously muted. One presumes there was intense behind-the-scenes attempts to lobby Brown and other councilors, but as it seems to have come to nothing it will be interesting to see if they are now more vocal in their support for the port workers.
The left's assessment of Brown's performance has been scathing - see for example, Danyl Mclauchlan's two posts, 'We're going on a journey . . .' and Destroying the village to make it more efficient, The Standards' Dear Len letter, and No Right Turn's Sacked. But the most illuminating responses have come from Auckland Labour Party activist and blogger, Robert Winter, who as a rank-and-file member provides an important insight into what Labour activists are thinking. His post, Awful, Mr Brown leaves no doubt about who the Mayor has sided with. His latest blog post, is even more interesting - see: The Political repercussions for Labour of doing nothing on the Ports, saying there is 'deep concern, even anger at Mr Shearer's ambivalence on this issue and concern that Labour is being presented as toothless'.
Dene Mackenzie of the ODT also looks at Shearer's role in the dispute, and he contrasts the Greens' consistent backing of the union with Shearer's hesitant approach: 'Mr Shearer has to front up to voters or lose another round to the Greens and others. He needs to also abandon Mr Brown, if that is what it takes, to keep the faith with Auckland voters' - see: Port dispute web of loyalties takes wide catch. Up until now, Brown has taken most of the political heat, rather than Shearer, but with the Auckland Mayor effectively being written off as an ally of the workers, Shearer will now come under pressure to be the workers' political champion. His vacillating on the dispute is analysed by Chris Trotter on TVNZ's Breakfast - watch here.
Political solutions may be the union's only hope according to legal experts. Employment lawyer Peter Cullen says 'the company is entitled to contract out work and, legally, there is not much the workers can do.' Cullen says their best option now is to seek political support from the Government and Auckland Council, although even Len Brown concedes that his council's demand for bigger dividends has directly contributed to the lay offs - see RNZ's Council dividend considered a factor in port layoffs.
