TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
Jan 3rd 2018, 12:04 am
#121
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
Ignoring the other junk, this one particular inaccuracy has to be pointed out. The reason the car manufacturers in Australia weren't competitive was because the car manufacturers wouldn't/didn't invest in better machinery and automation. Basically they ran them into the ground, happily taking government handouts, and running them as cash cows till the government pulled the plug and they closed them down.
They could have produced the models that were wanted, innovated new models, automated manufacture - it would have been quite possible to do it right.
It was a failure of management and a failure of governance - in the companies, and in government.
What it wasn't was unions.
https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/...n-saved--65418
They could have produced the models that were wanted, innovated new models, automated manufacture - it would have been quite possible to do it right.
It was a failure of management and a failure of governance - in the companies, and in government.
What it wasn't was unions.
https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/...n-saved--65418
Labour rigidity ruins economy
MAURICE NEWMANThe Australian12:00AM September 28, 2015
How many more workers must lose their jobs before it is accepted that work practices and labour costs influence investors and management on where to domicile their businesses and whether to invest? Or even, when to cut and run? How long before workers understand that in the end, governments, unions and taxpayers can’t save them?
Our car industry will be gone by 2017. We’re watching our steel industry disappear. Oil-refining capacity has shrunk 42 per cent in three years. Two of our six primary aluminium smelters have shut. Heinz and McCains have moved their food processing to New Zealand. Since 2000, 14 wool processing plants have closed, leaving just three.
Unions deny these closures are related to high business-input costs, saying they are the fault of the government, an overvalued currency, poor management and inferior products.
The bosses beg to differ. Bob Every, former president of BHP Steel, says: “It’s a sad situation where I see both of our steel companies really struggling and it goes to the challenge we have in Australia to be internationally competitive. We’ve come out the other side of a resources cycle where we’ve got high wages, high energy costs and industrial relations that have unfortunately gone back 15 years.”
Ford president Bob Graziano referred to improving scale and competitiveness but lamented “our costs are double that of Europe and nearly four times Ford in Asia”. Toyota’s Australian president, Max Yasuda, indicated Australia’s workplace culture was the last straw. Holden also cited high energy costs.
Who do you believe?
Of course the high Australian dollar was a factor. But, even after a 35 per cent devaluation over four years, Australia’s minimum wage is 40 per cent above Canada’s, for six hours a week less work. It is also true that Australia’s high energy costs are a challenge. Today, wholesale electricity prices are the world’s sixth highest. Four states and territories rank among the six most expensive household jurisdictions anywhere.
For gas, Australia has the highest domestic prices of any exporting country. But ACTU president Ged Kearney and secretary Jeff Lawrence publicly endorsed the Gillard carbon tax and the CFMEU now supports Labor’s proposed 50 per cent renewable energy target, subject to “unprecedented assistance” being given to retrenched workers.
Go figure.
Corporate taxes are similarly dismissed as a factor in job losses. Australia’s corporate rate at 30 per cent is nearly 25 per cent above the OECD average. BHP Billiton claims it pays an effective 45 per cent rate. But slugging companies plays to the politics of envy, so union leaders can see no evidence that company taxes are too high.
Australia’s labour movement has negotiated a place in the law which confers the most extraordinary power and privilege. Despite having significant commercial interests, it enjoys legislated freedom from income and capital gains taxes. It and its officers enjoy damages relief for tort not accorded to ordinary citizens. It is exempt from large provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act. It is overseen by a judicial system where the umpires are drawn from a sympathetic gene pool.
To achieve this it has captured both the Labor Party and the Greens, on whose behalf it shamelessly campaigns and supports with generous financial and in-kind donations. In the election of Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews, essential service union members doorknocked 93,000 homes and made 130,000 phone calls. Their reward? More jobs and pay rises.
Trade union activism is becoming more reckless, harmful and ruthless. It wages dishonest campaigns like the ones against the China free-trade agreement and state government proposals to lease poles and wires. Truth in advertising does not apply to unions.
The ALP has been a willing accomplice in all of this and even helped defeat a bill to bring law and order back to building sites. Too many union leaders have become self-serving power seekers.
The operation of this cartel would be tolerated nowhere else. It’s time Australians woke up to the enormous damage this is doing to the economy and to their job prospects.
The Abbott government’s initiative to establish a royal commission into union governance and corruption met with extraordinary hostility from the unions and Labor. It is one reason why opposition to the former prime minister was so personal and vicious. He represented the biggest threat to harmful union practices.
Apologists for Australia’s industrial relations arrangements will continue to argue they are benign and are in the interests of jobs and equity. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ruled out changes to workers’ conditions. Yet empirical evidence cries out for change. It’s no coincidence that South Australia is the jobless state. It is the home of unionised industries, the highest energy costs and big government, encouraged by generous handouts from Canberra.
Critically, many of the Abbott government’s initiatives were directed at lifting productivity and improving innovation. But as important as these are, they alone will not counter the dead weight of Australia’s bygone labour laws.
It is no longer sufficient to expose the exploitation and abuses of Australia’s job-destroying workplace cartel and the myths which perpetuate it. It is time to bust them.
Last edited by Beoz; Jan 3rd 2018 at 12:06 am.
Jan 3rd 2018, 12:43 am
#123
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
This has been a long time coming though. As soon as the government turned its attention to protecting consumers – opening up the market to greater competition by, firstly, reducing tariffs for imported vehicles in the 1990s and then cutting all financial support - rather than protecting a workforce, the collapse of the car industry was swift, and somewhat, inevitable.
Real protection could have been arranged if those bloody minded unions saw the benefit of protecting a business rather than stifling it.
In the end they kill off their own members.
Ding ding, down for the count.
Jan 3rd 2018, 10:07 am
#124
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
I don't need to look on line, as I completely agree. Between my partner and self, we have experienced in different areas, the worst of management possible to imagine. A regular change in some instances of CEO. Only the replacement was as bad or worse as predecessor. This often amounted to the desire to bring in a 'new broom' meaning put their own people in position. The mobbing, bullying,(the latter more subtle in more recent times and nothing that can be traced ) boards stacked with people having own agendas and not necessary with the organisation/company in mind.
One board meeting they had to be separated from inflicting physical violence on one another.
So much could be said about it. Mostly negative. Very different to Europe where more maturity ruled. All a question of the wrong people given a position that they are not equipped to do. They appear to love to wield the big stick but increasingly subtle thanks to the law and unions.
One board meeting they had to be separated from inflicting physical violence on one another.
So much could be said about it. Mostly negative. Very different to Europe where more maturity ruled. All a question of the wrong people given a position that they are not equipped to do. They appear to love to wield the big stick but increasingly subtle thanks to the law and unions.
You both rather sound like you have sizeable chips..
I've heard it all on this site over the years..what I do know is that the more marginalised the expat, the unhappier they are..and they see the worst in everything...
Jan 4th 2018, 3:59 am
#125
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Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
Who are you to decide long experience of another in work relations absolute poppycock?
No marginalised ex pat here ....right in the thick of things. Say it how it is simple as that. Without unions many would be up the creek. They help keep the buzzards honest.
Jan 4th 2018, 4:15 am
#126
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
Spot f**king on
Jan 4th 2018, 4:15 am
#127
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
The casualised workforce is also one reason why union membership numbers are dropping.
The workforce labour costs in delivery have dropped so much, that Amazon cannot trust contractors to deliver the items for them. Such is the standard at the bottom of the pile. Hence they were forced to turn to heavily unionised Apost. So in some ways the exploiters have done the unionists a favour.
Jan 4th 2018, 4:33 am
#128
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
The proof of that is in the casual/contract workforce. Anyone in cleaning, delivery, local dining, small local retail, will almost certainly be exploited.
The casualised workforce is also one reason why union membership numbers are dropping.
The workforce labour costs in delivery have dropped so much, that Amazon cannot trust contractors to deliver the items for them. Such is the standard at the bottom of the pile. Hence they were forced to turn to heavily unionised Apost. So in some ways the exploiters have done the unionists a favour.
The casualised workforce is also one reason why union membership numbers are dropping.
The workforce labour costs in delivery have dropped so much, that Amazon cannot trust contractors to deliver the items for them. Such is the standard at the bottom of the pile. Hence they were forced to turn to heavily unionised Apost. So in some ways the exploiters have done the unionists a favour.
Jan 4th 2018, 4:54 am
#130
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
The proof of that is in the casual/contract workforce. Anyone in cleaning, delivery, local dining, small local retail, will almost certainly be exploited.
The casualised workforce is also one reason why union membership numbers are dropping.
The workforce labour costs in delivery have dropped so much, that Amazon cannot trust contractors to deliver the items for them. Such is the standard at the bottom of the pile. Hence they were forced to turn to heavily unionised Apost. So in some ways the exploiters have done the unionists a favour.
The casualised workforce is also one reason why union membership numbers are dropping.
The workforce labour costs in delivery have dropped so much, that Amazon cannot trust contractors to deliver the items for them. Such is the standard at the bottom of the pile. Hence they were forced to turn to heavily unionised Apost. So in some ways the exploiters have done the unionists a favour.
Jan 4th 2018, 5:00 am
#131
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Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
Still don't get the peeved ex pat bit?
Jan 4th 2018, 7:40 am
#132
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Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
How about the decline in conditions, witnessed by us Aussies, over time playing a large part in just how miffed off we are? So those that don't take it laying down and do speak out are somehow watching the world pass over them? What strange psychology. I'd have thought contrary. Those that don't give a fig, claim all will be okay, even when evidence to the contrary that all is far from okay, would be the ones to warrant such scorn?
Still don't get the peeved ex pat bit?
Still don't get the peeved ex pat bit?
Peeved expat because you've been somewhat down in the dumps (about Perth) for years..
Last edited by BadgeIsBack; Jan 4th 2018 at 7:42 am.
Jan 4th 2018, 8:37 am
#133
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
How about the decline in conditions, witnessed by us Aussies, over time playing a large part in just how miffed off we are? So those that don't take it laying down and do speak out are somehow watching the world pass over them? What strange psychology. I'd have thought contrary. Those that don't give a fig, claim all will be okay, even when evidence to the contrary that all is far from okay, would be the ones to warrant such scorn?
Still don't get the peeved ex pat bit?
Still don't get the peeved ex pat bit?
Jan 30th 2018, 9:06 pm
#134
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/minimum-pay-and-hours-demand-for-food-delivery-drivers-20180130-p4yz2d.html
An article with 2 sides to the coin but as per usual the drama the lefties love and lap up is in the first half.
So here's the big question. How come Deliveroo has attracted 3600 drivers if conditions and pay are so bad?
An article with 2 sides to the coin but as per usual the drama the lefties love and lap up is in the first half.
So here's the big question. How come Deliveroo has attracted 3600 drivers if conditions and pay are so bad?
Jan 30th 2018, 9:58 pm
#135
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: TRADE UNIONS..hmmm
The answer being people need to live. A roof and food on the table. What is happening in Australia is diabolical. You will note in another thread the number of 457's being brought in to work, a third, for payment of $53,000 to $57,000, well under the supposed minimums set. You will note the ever increasing under employment and loss of entitlements like sick leave and holidays. All this at a time of near record immigration.
Yet you applaud the declining standards within this country. Why people are offering themselves as 'slaves' may just be due to the lack of choice.
Yet you applaud the declining standards within this country. Why people are offering themselves as 'slaves' may just be due to the lack of choice.