Unions

[medusala]

Unions are mostly awesome, excluding rightwing conjobs like the SDA.

Yeah Painters and Dockers, CFMEU etc such lovely people. Class acts.

Conservatives have wet dreams about killing off the union movement, but it won't happen.

Err, its under 10% in the real world now.

 

[Kram]

I must say I liked reading this as a QUBE shareholder.

The strike began at first shift on Thursday, April 5, which was two days before the actual anniversary of the day that Corrigan locked Patrick workers out of the docklands. And the management mitigation strategy swung into action on the preceding Wednesday with 83 managers from around the Qube nation being temporarily relocated to hotels and apartments around Melbourne Docklands.

Through the following four days crews formed from those white-collar workers, who included accountants from Sydney head office, were flown to shifts in helicopters that choppered their way securely and without any particular fuss over any union picketers.

After proper introductions – many of the staff had never actually met before – the Qube managers turned dockers were then given the necessary safety inductions and training to be able to drive the newly imported cars from the ships.

Sources claim that, for all of their inexperience, the staff crews achieved record productivity levels over the four days in what management now recognises as a magnificent, if accidental, team bonding exercise. From what we understand the successful white-collar intervention will be celebrated at Qube at a team event in the near future.

The way we hear it, the only point of tension within the emergency crews was the fight over who got to drive the Maseratis and Porches from the hull on to the wharf. Indeed, there is said to be some little disappointment among some of the Qube middle management that the union moved to end their industrial action early last week and that the dispute appeared headed for enduring settlement after an agreement on Friday.

http://www.afr.com/business/infrast...d-union-campaign-at-webb-dock-20180416-h0yu8b

 

[Bombermania]

Conservatives have wet dreams about killing off the union movement, but it won't happen.

In fact, at some stage unions will become a powerful force again - ironically because of the policies pushed by the very same conservatives.

You can only screw the worker so much before substantial resistance occurs.

Unions will only ever be a real force again when they reconnect with the bulk of workers who don't prescribe to mythical class wars. the idea that if you get promoted from the factory floor to management means that you are no longer a worker yet if a worker becomes unemployed is still seen as a worker is just outdated thinking which undermines the unions, the unions need to become more like professional bodies.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Unions will only ever be a real force again when they reconnect with the bulk of workers who don't prescribe to mythical class wars. the idea that if you get promoted from the factory floor to management means that you are no longer a worker yet if a worker becomes unemployed is still seen as a worker is just outdated thinking which undermines the unions, the unions need to become more like professional bodies.

Unions will become a force again when they politically organise with entities that haven't been hijacked with middle class indulgences (aka The current Labor Party).

 

[Run n Spread]

One thing that has stuffed the union is the casualisation of the workforce. In essence by promoting a better deal for the permanents/long termers they lock others out of the market.

 

[Run n Spread]

Unions will only ever be a real force again when they reconnect with the bulk of workers who don't prescribe to mythical class wars. the idea that if you get promoted from the factory floor to management means that you are no longer a worker yet if a worker becomes unemployed is still seen as a worker is just outdated thinking which undermines the unions, the unions need to become more like professional bodies.

Yet they are still a potential worker. What the union thus does is lock them out in favour of those already there. And if said unemployed is a member of the union then the union is duty bound to protect its members.

 

[twotooto]

I must say I liked reading this as a QUBE shareholder.
http://www.afr.com/business/infrast...d-union-campaign-at-webb-dock-20180416-h0yu8b

A company like QUBE might be good for investors and shareholders. For the employee, not so much. QUBE and Patrick are a great example of why we need unions.

That said, unions could definitely lift their game.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

 

[Bombermania]

People like Sally need to realise that they have lost the workers, blaming the government wont rebuild the trust that has been lost, the unions are a bit like my football club, good during the preseason at talking about itself but come season proper they have been shown up. Maybe when the membership hits 5% or less then the unions might finally get the message.

 

[MaddAdam]

Australia has had 30 years of growth.

As soon as that stops unions will be hugely relevant again

 

[Snake_Baker]

Australia has had 30 years of growth.

As soon as that stops unions will be hugely relevant again

Yeah mate?

What about the workers that have barely had a pay rise in 5 years whilst inflation has cracked along at 5%?

 

[Bombermania]

Australia has had 30 years of growth.

As soon as that stops unions will be hugely relevant again

Actually they wont be relevant until they lift their game.

People say its the laws fault but I have worked in places with high staff turnover and all sorts of problems yet the union rep hardly ever went to work drinks which were pretty much always held to farewell someone resigning, he hardly ever asked people how they were going or why they were resigning, this is the sort of lazy behavior which has hurt the unions for years, yet unions think that their membership fees are somehow justified.

 

[MaddAdam]

Yeah mate?

What about the workers that have barely had a pay rise in 5 years whilst inflation has cracked along at 5%?

That hasn't hurt as much as it should because the price of lots of stuff has fallen dramatically too over the same period.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Yeah Painters and Dockers, CFMEU etc such lovely people. Class acts.



Err, its under 10% in the real world now.

12 in private sector in Aus


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[medusala]

12 in private sector in Aus

unless article i read was wrong (entirely possible) where has the increase come from? Mining on back of the boom?

Also, how is it possible that the govt cant find a case agains the CFMEU? I dont think anyone believes they have nothing to answer for (im sure plenty in the AWU would agree). Is it just sheer incompetence on part of the DPP?

 

[Bombermania]

12 in private sector in Aus


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

If the CFEMMU wasn't compulsory the overall membership would be barely above 10%, a great many tradies just pay the yearly fee without any real support for the union leadership.

 

[Contra Mundum]

If the CFEMMU wasn't compulsory the overall membership would be barely above 10%, a great many tradies just pay the yearly fee without any real support for the union leadership.

Have you seen cbd building sites these days ? The abcc are there every day -if they are able to police southern cross wearing can’t see how no ticket no start can happen


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bombermania]

Have you seen cbd building sites these days ? The abcc are there every day -if they are able to police southern cross wearing can’t see how no ticket no start can happen


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I think most people see that body for what it is and play along with it knowing it wont last long past the next election.

 

[Fletcher1985]

Unions will only ever be a real force again when they reconnect with the bulk of workers who don't prescribe to mythical class wars. the idea that if you get promoted from the factory floor to management means that you are no longer a worker yet if a worker becomes unemployed is still seen as a worker is just outdated thinking which undermines the unions, the unions need to become more like professional bodies.

What’s funny it a lot of the demise of the unions came from the fair work act that Gillard and Rudd drafted up!
With the use of labor hire and recruitment companies today allowing to continuously to use casual workers with out having to cross them over to the companies books after a certain period of time! I’m speaking of from the mining industry point of view

Something had to be done as they were to big and powerful, but now it’s turned back to the favour of the large big corporate companies and he

 

[Bombermania]

What’s funny it a lot of the demise of the unions came from the fair work act that Gillard and Rudd drafted up!
With the use of labor hire and recruitment companies today allowing to continuously to use casual workers with out having to cross them over to the companies books after a certain period of time! I’m speaking of from the mining industry point of view

Something had to be done as they were to big and powerful, but now it’s turned back to the favour of the large big corporate companies and he

There is nothing stopping a temp worker from joining a union, for some reason the union likes would be members to tick a box to show if they are hired via a recruitment agency or labour hire firm, it really shouldn't matter, maybe the unions need to offer insecure employed workers lower membership fees although maybe some unions already do.

 

[Fletcher1985]

There is nothing stopping a temp worker from joining a union, for some reason the union likes would be members to tick a box to show if they are hired via a recruitment agency or labour hire firm, it really shouldn't matter, maybe the unions need to offer insecure employed workers lower membership fees although maybe some unions already do.

The unions are next to powerless for he temp worker. As the company that has hired them to work there can just flick them off and get another number to fill that position. That’s why large companies like the casual workforce. They can get around legislation and eba agreements & dictate and control wages and who they want to have working for them!

The loop hole in the fair work act needs to be patched up as it’s been abused by the large corporations

The greens have done another one of their attention seeking attempts in trying announce that the act needs changing! But they won’t go through with it! This is where the ALP needs to step in and go back to their foundations and support the worker

 

[DivideandMultiply]

The rate of real wage increase has tracked with levels of union participation amongst the workforce.

If you want to get paid more and live in a more egalitarian society, support unions and the workers movement.

 

[Bombermania]

The rate of real wage increase has tracked with levels of union participation amongst the workforce.

If you want to get paid more and live in a more egalitarian society, support unions and the workers movement.

The lack of wage growth isn't just an Australian issue, so higher union membership wont necessarily fix it.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

The lack of wage growth isn't just an Australian issue, so higher union membership wont necessarily fix it.

My comment was not Australia specific, it is a trend observed across Western countries. The decline in power of the labour movement has resulted in lower rate of real wage growth and loss of worker conditions.

 

[Bombermania]

My comment was not Australia specific, it is a trend observed across Western countries. The decline in power of the labour movement has resulted in lower rate of real wage growth and loss of worker conditions.

There is some link between the changes to the I.R system and wage growth, some of it has been driven by the changing nature of the workforce and technology and we still have plenty of slack in the labour market so there is little to force wages higher. Increased union membership wont make a huge difference to the rate of wage growth.