Union corruption - who would have thought?!

[dymot]

I like how the BLF would call a strike and the night before go around to workers homes who were likely to break the picket and put them in hospital.

Nothing quite like comrades looking after each other.

Old man used to unfortunately have to work with them and has had some of the funnest times dealing with their shenanigans. From wanting stupid s**t given to them to abuse and violence saw it all. Once he had the joy of being able to get the union boss booted from the sites back in the 70s on grounds that his actions were harrassing and distracting other workers from getting their duties done which was met with threats and promises of strikes which never happened as even back then he and his mates who had hands in choosing builders said they would go for the non union company.

 

[Gough]

Chaps, using the BLF as an example of all that's wrong with the contemporary union movement, is about as relevant as citing One.Tel as an example of all that ails the current communications industry.

 

[Power Raid]

Chaps, using the BLF as an example of all that's wrong with the contemporary union movement, is about as relevant as citing One.Tel as an example of all that ails the current communications industry.

oh sorry

what is there name now? the CFMEU?

 

[Gus Poyet]

oh sorry

what is there name now? the CFMEU?

AWU has similar toe rags amongst its ranks.

 

[skilts]

I like how the BLF would call a strike and the night before go around to workers homes who were likely to break the picket and put them in hospital.

Nothing quite like comrades looking after each other.

Not contributing much to the discussion with this, but seeing the BLF was mentioned, I thought it might be of interest. About 13 years ago, I was walking down Acland St, in St Kilda, when I saw a bloke with whom I attended primary and secondary school, some 35 years before. He and another bloke were sitting having dinner in the RSL Club there.

I walked into the club, and my old schoolmate and I greeted each other as the long-lost friends we were. He then introduced me to his dinner companion by asking if I knew John Cummins, I said, "Only by reputation." John had been Norm Gallagher's right-hand man with the BLF, and at that stage, held a senior executive position with the CFMEU.

We got to talking, after I joined them for dinner. It turned out that John Cummins and I had grown up in the same street, in Northcote. It transpired that his next door neighbour was my brother's best friend, David. John, like my brother, adored this bloke, who was the butt of callous jokes from other kids, because he was gangly, sickly and different. Even though I'd visited David's place many times, I'd never met his neighbour John.

When I said that I only knew John by reputation, the reputation to which I referred (without saying it) was that he was a vicious thug. Over the next couple of hours I had a sparkling conversation with the most literate, philosophical and insightful self-educated person I've ever met. Sharp as a tack, he was. He had read everything, and everyone. Sadly, he died a few years ago. To this day, I thrash myself when I find myself succumbing to ill-informed preconceptions of people. It doesn't always work, but if it doesn't, at least I get to give myself a thrashing.

 

[Power Raid]

Not contributing much to the discussion with this, but seeing the BLF was mentioned, I thought it might be of interest. About 13 years ago, I was walking down Acland St, in St Kilda, when I saw a bloke with whom I attended primary and secondary school, some 35 years before. He and another bloke were sitting having dinner in the RSL Club there.

I walked into the club, and my old schoolmate and I greeted each other as the long-lost friends we were. He then introduced me to his dinner companion by asking if I knew John Cummins, I said, "Only by reputation." John had been Norm Gallagher's right-hand man with the BLF, and at that stage, held a senior executive position with the CFMEU.

We got to talking, after I joined them for dinner. It turned out that John Cummins and I had grown up in the same street, in Northcote. It transpired that his next door neighbour was my brother's best friend, David. John, like my brother, adored this bloke, who was the butt of callous jokes from other kids, because he was gangly, sickly and different. Even though I'd visited David's place many times, I'd never met his neighbour John.

When I said that I only knew John by reputation, the reputation to which I referred (without saying it) was that he was a vicious thug. Over the next couple of hours I had a sparkling conversation with the most literate, philosophical and insightful self-educated person I've ever met. Sharp as a tack, he was. He had read everything, and everyone. Sadly, he died a few years ago. To this day, I thrash myself when I find myself succumbing to ill-informed preconceptions of people. It doesn't always work, but if it doesn't, at least I get to give myself a thrashing.

My bias against the BLF is due to an uncle who was a "safety officer" whose job was to enforce 100% participation in strikes. I also had a grandfather who had a similar job in the of the painters and dockers.

They thought belting the crap out of men in front of their kids and wives was for the good of the "brothers". After all, they were just scabs.

 

[skilts]

My bias against the BLF is due to an uncle who was a "safety officer" whose job was to enforce 100% participation in strikes. I also had a grandfather who had a similar job in the of the painters and dockers.

They thought belting the crap out of men in front of their kids and wives was for the good of the "brothers". After all, they were just scabs.

I understand whence you come. Subtlety was never a long suit in such negotiations. Don't get me started about the Painters and Dockers. I still value my life too much to write about what I know of this, because the antagonists are still alive. Excellent friends, bad enemies.

 

[madmug]

I understand whence you come. Subtlety was never a long suit in such negotiations. Don't get me started about the Painters and Dockers. I still value my life too much to write about what I know of this, because the antagonists are still alive. Excellent friends, bad enemies.

Truth be known, Union corruption is probably no worse the corrupt business practices in this country, & around the world.

 

[Power Raid]

Truth be known, Union corruption is probably no worse the corrupt business practices in this country, & around the world.

agree but that doesn't make it right.

I am personally all for making churches, government, unions and corporations being governed by the corporations act

 

[mottrain]

When will we start the socialist corruption thread?

 

[The Coup]

When will we start the socialist corruption thread?

There's two on union corruption already.

Unfortunately there are just no publicised examples of actual union corruption. But that's for another thread.

This is the one to discuss the hundreds of daily cases of actual capitalist corruption instead. This thread will be more lively I imagine.

 

[mottrain]

There's two on union corruption already.

Unfortunately there are just no publicised examples of actual union corruption. But that's for another thread.

This is the one to discuss the hundreds of daily cases of actual capitalist corruption instead. This thread will be more lively I imagine.

Didn't realise that there was nothing from the media on Craig Thomson.

 

[The Coup]

Didn't realise that there was nothing from the media on Craig Thomson.

Again mottrain, you are welcome to take that opinion to the appropriate thread. Thanks for contributing though.

It is irrelevant to this one.

 

[mottrain]

Again mottrain, you are welcome to take that opinion to the appropriate thread. Thanks for contributing though.

It is irrelevant to this one.

It can completely be linked to capitalism corruption.

 

[The Coup]

It can completely be linked to capitalism corruption.

I disagree but I will give you ten minutes to actually make that link in your posts by editing them, if you don't want to be reported for trying to derail a thread.

 

[WA ROO]

When will we start the socialist corruption thread?

That thread would be locked in seconds

 

[mottrain]

Its like you can't criticise anything remotely close to the right wing without getting a steady stream of people with bad opinions playing the victim card.

You guys on the right need to earn some kind of collective self esteem. Go do some charity work as a group or something and stop derailing every thread into how life is so unfair for white sexless men. It is tiring and lame.

I'm the one derailing the thread . Whenever anyone criticises anything towards the left they are met with a barrage of abuse and offtopic personal comments irrelevant to the issue no matter how relevant the points are. Just look at how Erin Riley went off at people when they called out her comments on the grand final. Not to mention the left getting further owned when her pals like clem Ford decided to come chime in and actually make dumb comments like racism to whites doesn't exist .

As for the link between Craig Thomson and capitalism, he clearly collected those funds so he didn't have to pay for them out of his own pocket.

 

[The Coup]

I'm the one derailing the thread . Whenever anyone criticises anything towards the left they are met with a barrage of abuse and offtopic personal comments irrelevant to the issue no matter how relevant the points are. Just look at how Erin Riley went off at people when they called out her comments on the grand final. Not to mention the left getting further owned when her pals like clem Ford decided to come chime in and actually make dumb comments like racism to whites doesn't exist .

As for the link between Craig Thomson and capitalism, he clearly collected those funds so he didn't have to pay for them out of his own pocket.

There's no abuse heading your way.

You were invited to clarify your statements because they are drastically off topic.

I've now reported you because you can't seem to differentiate between threads.

Enjoy your ban.

 

[mottrain]

There's no abuse heading your way.

You were invited to clarify your statements because they are drastically off topic.

I've now reported you because you can't seem to differentiate between threads.

Enjoy your ban.

How have I gone offtopic. What was done by Craig Thomson was a completly capitalist thing to do. He used other people's finance to enhance his own. Magnificently much like the comments you make in the op about capitalists. If you don't like the response it subsequently means it is not off topic. This post proves that.

 

[The Coup]

How have I gone offtopic. What was done by Craig Thomson was a completly capitalist thing to do. He used other people's finance to enhance his own. Magnificently much like the comments you make in the op about capitalists. If you don't like the response it subsequently means it is not off topic. This post proves that.

You mentioned Craig Thomson in relation to union corruption though mottrain.

You can't just change your tune now because you're going to get in trouble. That would be gutless.

 

[mottrain]

You mentioned Craig Thomson in relation to union corruption though mottrain.

You can't just change your tune now because you're going to get in trouble. That would be gutless.

You made mention of union corruption first and also I wasn't the one who was first to bring it into this thread. Yet you complain others are taking this thread offtopic because they are talking about this issue . You made the direct comparison between capitalism and the unions when you said

There's two on union corruption already.

Unfortunately there are just no publicised examples of actual union corruption. But that's for another thread.

This is the one to discuss the hundreds of daily cases of actual capitalist corruption instead. This thread will be more lively I imagine.

Now based on this, which you were called out on where you denied the notion of union corruption when evidence points to the contrary. You then tried to dismiss it as irrelevant to this thread topic, despite me showing/stating the link between unions through the Craig thomson example and capitalistic corrpution. All in all you have self owned and are now trying to avoid the topic because you don't want to discuss it .

 

[The Coup]

mottrain, please take your posts about union corruption to the union corruption thread.

 

[The Coup]

How have I gone offtopic. What was done by Craig Thomson was a completly capitalist thing to do. He used other people's finance to enhance his own. Magnificently much like the comments you make in the op about capitalists. If you don't like the response it subsequently means it is not off topic. This post proves that.

Hi mottrain. Now that your posts are in the right thread (thank you moderators) let's look at your post about Craig Thomson.

For the first time in a long time, we are in staunch agreement. Capitalism creates corrupt politicians because it provides substantial material inventive for corrupt behavior while reducing the penalties for white collar crime (this is due to the overt political influence of big business in capitalism) to the point of being almost non existent.

Excellent analysis mottrain, capitalism is a key factor in Craig Thomson's corruption.

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

Certainly do better investigative journalism than News Ltd. Imagine the Essendon saga had The Age not reported on it.

To be fair, News normally spend a lot of money on sport reporting. It's my pet theory that sport coverage and a bit of sensationalism is the reason people buy Murdoch papers - not their editorial angle.

When I said that I only knew John by reputation, the reputation to which I referred (without saying it) was that he was a vicious thug. Over the next couple of hours I had a sparkling conversation with the most literate, philosophical and insightful self-educated person I've ever met. Sharp as a tack, he was. He had read everything, and everyone. Sadly, he died a few years ago. To this day, I thrash myself when I find myself succumbing to ill-informed preconceptions of people. It doesn't always work, but if it doesn't, at least I get to give myself a thrashing.

Of course both things could be true. Literate people can use dirty tactics - there's a few hanging around the G20 as we speak...

 

[clogged]

To be fair, News normally spend a lot of money on sport reporting. It's my pet theory that sport coverage and a bit of sensationalism is the reason people buy Murdoch papers - not their editorial angle.

New Ltd do fluff. Pictorial content with glib match commentary.

When I was a kid I loved it when my dad brought home the Herald Sun on Monday because it was pages of footy, with full sized pictures, stats, scores and news.

The actual articles were nothing special. It's at best a run above 'Inside Football'.