May Day Dunedin coverage
The following article about May Day events appeared in the Otago Daily Times on Monday 2 May 2005.

Supermarket workers press wage claims

Supermarket workers are the latest to target a 5% wage increase, launching their campaign on May Day yesterday.
National Distribution Union (NDU) retail sector secretary Judy Attenberger said its "fair share" campaign followed good profits for supermarket owner Progressive Group.
"This is an Australian company . . . and 70% of what they make goes offshore. We want a share of that profit that's been made over the last few years. It's not that they cannot afford it."
The Progressive Group owns Woolworths, Countdown and Foodtown supermarkets.
In Dunedin, May Day was marked with a gathering in the Octagon addressed by trade union, Alliance and Green Party speakers, as well as a representative of the University of Otago based group International Socialist Organization.
Dunedin North candidate for the Alliance Victor Billot told the small crowd the widening gap between the rich and poor in New Zealand was a concern.
A recent study out of the University of Otago Wellington School of Medicine had shown higher mortality rates among poorer New Zealanders, Mr Billot said.
It was wrong that people on lower incomes died sooner and had a lower life expectancy.
May Day, International Workers Day, marks the occasion in 1886 when American trade unions went on strike for the eight hour day.
National Party industrial relations spokesman Wayne Mapp issued a press release saying workers would be better off campaigning for a tax cut than taking part in strike action.
- posted by Victor @ 9:59 AM