Time and a place mate.
This is a serious NATIONAL disaster; no one wants to listen to whinging bloody tradesman.

People are still buried under rubble, family members are still missing, and you're worried about your work conditions? ? ? ? ?

You're a f*ckin champ.

Well mate - at the risk of having a foot in both camps - I understand your frustration at the actions of the PGDB - and I know that this might appear to be an opportunity to make the Government stand up and take notice - but to be honest it would hurt people like us - average working people with families and kids and I don't think it would achieve anything other than piss lots of people off who would then pull back from supporting us. 

If affirmative action was what you wanted the Rugby World Cup or election time would be a better bet. What you can do right now is put pen to paper and write to Minister Williamson and tell him what your concerns are.  See your local MP, write to your local paper, ring talkback.  Unfortunately a lot of this industry do like to cry in their beer and complain to each other but never actually put pen to paper, attend consultation meetings and make themselves heard - or write.  Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword. 

We have colleagues who are affected in Chch - who have family members who are missing, or hurt, or whose homes are badly affected - at this time I would much rather be helping them however I can - because taking the action you suggest will hurt them firstly - not the Government. 

It's not that I don't understand your frustration - believe me I do.  Have you joined the Federation?  How about getting a few more to join?  Or if you are a Master Plumber member - put pen to paper there and ask them to represent your views.   It's all about numbers and politics.   Affirmative action has a time and place - but in my opinion the Christchurch earthquake situation is too hearbreaking to even contemplate using it as a platform to air our views.

i agree that there is a time and place and at the time of posting the size of this tragedy was just only unfolding i are glad to see someone else understands my frustration yes i are a member of the federation and was one of the first to put there on the list when Paul Luxton first put his article in the plumbers journal maybe another angle is to go to fair go or target who are always having a go at tradesmen but as always the kiwi way will prevail and we will all get in and help and support all of those who have been effected in chch. 

Hi Jon boy by the way good name
Yes it would be very low and shitty to us the Christchurch disaster for our gains we have to leave that to our politicians and also the likes of urine and co I offered my help as a plumber foc but urine informed me that he wouldn't let me have my craftsman licence so I could help anybody on another point on the news it was said that plumbers and gas fitters from around the world had offered to help I trust those wa--ers at the board told them to get lost.
As a plumber  I like to say my thoughts go out to all the people of Christchurch