Why did the Mob always control the labor unions? Because the two are more or less in the same lines of business - mass intimidation, extortion and money laundering.
I would agree untill you get into the worst kind of jobs. Having spent time at an abiator where the boss dictated everthing to you... pushed AWA on you, with the threat of being sacked if you did not sign, I think you are wrong... The "worst" jobs need the most pretection, mainly because most aussies will not do it hence the employer has the advantage.
I hate unions but sometimes you do need to keep the bosstards honest. Back in the 70's I worked at the new North Shore Hospital site. I was working as a sparky's assistant and was sent down in the basement to resecure conduit that had become detatched from the ceiling. There was no lighting and I was unaware there was a pit that was uncovered. I fell into the pit which had water at the bottom. Fortunately I did not hit my head on the fall and the water was only chest deep. I was down there for four hours before someone came to find me. The site manager sacked me. Lucky for me there was a union rep on site. The week before someone had gone down the elevator shaft 13 floors and wasn't as lucky. I didn't lose my job after all but within a week I found another job as I didn't want to work for the clowns with that mindset. Once bitten twice shy. Kind Regards non recourse
Versus the propaganda that individual workers have a chance to negotiate a fair working contract? I think the whole pro and anti-union thing boils down to whether your appreciation of history is that it could happen again, or whether you believe that we've moved on into a civilised world where employers look for happy efficient workplaces where everyone shares in the profits. I'd believe that except for the fact that unionists are being murdered all over the world, and the same lack of morality shown by this union official is evident everywhere, from factory floor to executive offices. Live on the coke side of life? Not in South America. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Coca-Cola#Bottling_plant_murders And I know about organised crime infiltrating unions, unions are anarchists etc etc, but the reason most honest unionists are so pro unionist is that they know the history of our working conditions, 8 hour days, 40 hour weeks, safe work environments and a hundred other rights that people have died for. Of course without unions workers can always take the Chinese approach to improving wages and working conditions. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RULxlnQx8Wo[/youtube]
Most Australian workers are not members of unions, and I don't se them experiencing the Chinese approach to improving wages and conditions. I can see the unions driving Qantas and other companies offshore though.
With all due respect, there are always two sides to every story. In my time, I have worked with some of the most militant unions you could come across - including mine workers, steel workers and wharfies. I have had years of first hand experience in how these people behave, and their manipulative tactics. I have personally been the brunt of some of their political strategies, and have a fair idea of how they think and work. Their actions are usually not in the best interests of their members, either. The paragraph you have quoted, IMO, would have benn taken out of context, as is usually the case, and as was always my experience. This is my interpretation of what I have experienced: (sorry if this offends)
even if we take this worst case, were talking a few 100,000 dollars - a mere blink of a dodgy boss's exit bonus. reality is, the low paid get no more pay without unions - and frankly fellas and girls, you'll have whole less demand on this site - from silver for excavators to silver for holidays.
Why should the low paid get paid more? Any pay rise above the rate of inflation should come with an equivalent productivity gain.
It's funny how in IT, one of the least regulated industries in the country, that union membership is almost non-existent and people move around all the time looking for better deals. That's free market competition for you. I've nothing against unions if membership is voluntary. In most situations it looks to me like you've got govt interfering on both sides, handing out favours to big industry players on one side, creating mountains of paperwork that smaller businesses cope less well with, and then they empower unions to compensate for the subsequent lack of competition. Everybody just trying to use the power of govt to get what they want basically. Always leads to corruption and never ends well.
Oh I agree, and some of the most spineless and two-faced workers I've had the misfortune to work with have been union representatives. When I ended up in management, some of the personnel department were former union organisers who were prepared to use the same tactics on their former solidarity colleagues. You're right about 'out of context' as well, but as a quick grab off the internet it's just an example of murder and mayhem against worker organisation that history books will show is incredibly common. From miners being truncheoned and murdered for demanding safety equipment to the army gunning down demonstrations for an 8 hour day. I remember going to Employer HR training where it was pointed out that Australia's wage fixing mechanisms at the time were adapted by Stalinists - and it was true. I also find it very interesting that unionism is so demonised in modern times, so much so that many people who accept the benefits of union action, refuse to join and try to persuade others to to likewise. Granted some unions have used their power wrongly but so have some employers and I guarantee that if you're a minimum wage shop assistant with any job history you'll know why your union is so important. And having sat on both sides of the negotiating table I know what each side is prepared to do, and a solo plaintiff has no chance against one or the other. Hence the Employer Unions and the Worker's Unions usually face-off for a resolution. You can get shafted by either party regardless of which of them is supposed to be on your side. I think both sides - union and management - have major faults, but they should exist together in tension or otherwise the average person loses out. In fact if I could hand out prosecutions, unions and management would be about equally represented in the briefs. So no offence taken.
since this topic has come to light, did some research about this particular union: now under administrator, former leaders got paid above $200K per year (plus self bonuses),employed their families and made business with them as well, and more important THEY NEVER WORKED IN THE HEALTH INDUSTRY!!! so how come these people got to lead the Health Industry employees? Down below I found this link reg. the above, a guy ( a radiographer) is creating a moving to get the union back to be lead by health workers, keep an eye on Clean Sweep! It was on The Report last night as well in channel 10 http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/hsu-reformers-take-to-the-hustings-20120709-21rd6.html
When the employer is paying union trouble makers to stay home on full pay and entitlements, because of the corner they're forced into by the union, that's the day you realise why there is NO private investment in Victoria. The number one aim of the unions in Victoria is to prolong the job at any cost. I have worked as a union member and as a supervisor on some large construction sites in Victoria, it is no place for the faint hearted. I always was miffed why we sat on the grass for 13 weeks in the 1996 whilst the organisers were on full pay? Most of us had to secretly get other work to pay the mortgages.
further on the health's union topic, this is a video of health professionals working in the community who want the union back to the members. Interesting video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejp9nFmJkDo&feature=youtu.be
My take on this clean sweep is the rag doing the clean sweep is soiled. You have an exisiting union rep who wants to step up to the union trough and another blood sucker will feed off the members. Hospitals are so regulated and government controlled you don't need another blood sucker to feed. Take the union dues and buy some silver bullion every month. Kind Regards non recourse
Exactly. We needed unions last century when there were less defined workplace laws, now that we have a full IR framework the unions have lost their original purpose and have devolved to simply being large organisations existing only to self perpetuate and to keep their upper hierarchy in political and economic power.
