345 replies to this topic

[wot179]

Until recently I worked for the public service, and union membership was not compulsory.

 

 

 

Four Horsemen is a great movie. Its been around for a couple of years now.

 

Everybody really should watch it. 

[RallyRed]

have faith my son...I'm watching it tomorrow

[rodomo]

Did we all have a happy Labour day in Vic? You know..........8hrs work, 8hours play, 8 hours sleep?

 

 

 

Means shit these days...........................................................

[neglectedtorana]

Daz, thanks for putting up the original link.
I enjoyed the whole thing and am happy Ricky seems like a regular guy

Gives me a little hope

Cheers, Tom

[Rockoz]

Didnt say that union membership was compulsory in all the public service.

Things may have changed, but certain areas you did not have to be a union member

But the union held the registry or right to work segment.

Didnt have to be a member to get the right o work but it was cheaper to join the union.

 

Guess no one classifies union ads on TV as supporting Labor.

Therefore not included in donations.

[yel327]

The ones I saw recently attacked the Government but didn't advertise Labor. I suppose then they can be full of errors and untruths and there is no accountability? And vice versa if the opposite was to happen?

[Rockoz]

Ian

Unions were a good thing in their day.

But they have had their day now.

Unless they revamp into something that workers want, their membership will continue to decline.

Workers have already shown how much they think unions are worth by leaving in droves.

 

I watched unions operate from my time as an apprentice.

It was compulsory to be a member at my workplace unless you were an apprentice.

I watched shift votes for strike action.

My only conclusion was that the union man could not count.

Regardless of the hands shown, a strike always went ahead.

And more often than not the hands actually showed a different result.

 

I had need of the union during my apprenticeship.

Was told I would have representation.

They couldnt be bothered to turn up.

 

After my apprenticeship I left the industry but still kept in touch with it.

The union negotiated to put a stall on wage rises.

The union negotiated that the working week could be extended compulsorily.

 

Now as a tradesman, because of unions, a labourer earns the same money as a tradesman.

In many cases a labourer who has done a 1 week course earns more money than a tradesman.

 

Yes unions have done a great job. sarcasm intended.

[yel327]

I have no doubt Unions have their place, have done great things in the past and continue to do some things good. But one easy example to explain - their place isn't actively trying to get contractors kicked off a work site who were bought on to either supplement labour or to perform capital works, especially when the contractors are members of the same Union as the onsite employees. Work that happens on an employer's premises is their work, not the work of the employees. I get it is different if people are sacked and then contractors replace them, then some questions need to be asked.

[RallyRed]

Chaos.....watched the 4 Horsemen.

Quite interesting and depressing in equal amounts I reckon.

Put into words what a lot of people are probably thinking..just below the surface.

The solution ?...now that's a difficult one, as whoever pops up as leading a change will be mercilessly attacked by the very machine they are fighting. Its a big machine.

[yel327]

Yel I can only give the reasons I know.....  Union's want workers to be put on as permanents after 3 months, there whole idea is to have as many workers in full time work as they can, compared to temporary workforce's that the bosses like....  when I was young, companies tried to hold on to their skilled labour, through the good times and the bad, it was the normal ebb & flow of doing business, bringing contractors onto a site, even if they were union members, generally ment to a lowering of conditions..  ie. contractors would work for no penalties, they had their own workers comp, and could be dismissed with an hours notice..  I am not saying there right, it was just the way they tried to save permanent jobs... and as you all know now, temporary jobs are the best you can get now...  Oh well..

 

I get that point, but it wasn't ever that, it was idiocy and stupidity - Contractors were permanent Employees of another organisation. Same stupidity to cry "Union" when the employer implements drug testing and the employees can no longer take drugs or they'll be out of a job. I'll tell you more one day, not in public!

Edited by yel327, 10 March 2015 - 01:29 PM.

[Rockoz]

wot179

Thought you may have been a member of Teachers Federation or TAFE equivalent.

 

One example of union being ridiculous.

 

Bloke I know operated 4 special machines.

 

He employed about 12 operators on a casual basis

 

Needed to be that way because of the nature of the business.

 

Sometimes his operators sat around doing nothing for a few hours while he paid them.

 

Union comes along and insisted he employ another person for cleaning the machines

.

Union stated it wasnt the job of the operator to do the cleaning.

 

Owner said I pay them enough to sit around doing nothing that they should be doing their own cleaning because it was to the operators advantage to have the machine cleaned to his own satisfaction. Task was less than an hour to do.

 

Union gave him 72 hours to comply or there would be trouble.

 

Union bloke came back 72 hours later wanting to know if the problem had been solved.

 

Owner said it certainly was.

 

Union bloke wanted to meet the new employee to sign him up.

 

Owner said no new employees. Sold all but one of the machines and told the operators no more work for them.

[wot179]

Yes, Im a member of the teachers fed (even though I am currently not teaching). I pay no fees while not drawing a paycheck.

They have zero clout when it comes to anybody keeping their jobs.

But Im happy to be a member if for no other reason than they support teachers in legal confrontations with students.

This happens more often than you might think.

If a teacher gets sued, they are on their own without unions.

Its often not the dept that get sued, its the individual.

[Rockoz]

Ah. Teachers Federation is a union by another name.

Can a non member of the Federation teach?

Think it was the Nurses Association that held the power of employment.

You couldnt work without some ticket and they supplied it.

[wot179]

Yes a non member can teach, at least at TAFE. Dunno about else ware.

I worked with a number of non members.

[Rockoz]

There will not be a Carbon Tax under the government I lead.

Words to that effect.

By Ronald McDonald. Or Labors version thereof.

How long did it take and what was the coat to the economy of the country?

 

Oh and apart from the super, which is a huge problem for struggling businesses, are the others actually in?

Or are they still just thoughts.

Unions push about electricity prices.

Vic is privatised and cheaper.

They just wont show the full truth.