Socialist Equality Group candidate for Hutt South, Tom Petterson, speaks during the 71st one-hour strike by firefighters across NZ. They have been offered 2.2 percent with no back pay - a major pay cut relative to inflation. Labour, National and their support parties have nothing to offer except more austerity, more money diverted to the military to pay for war. The union bureaucracy has isolated the firefighters' struggle and is promoting illusions in parliament. The way forward is to build independent rank-and-file committees and link up with other workers in NZ and internationally. Workers above all need a socialist perspective and party, which the SEG is fighting to build. #nzpol #NZpolitics #nzelection