ABCDiamond

I earn little money, (but we get enough), and my quality of life is great

Sunlover

You shouldn't have to choose ! In Canada and the UK we earned similar salaries and worked normal hours.

The truth is - Ozzie employers just want their pound of flesh and want to give as little as possible in return.

ABCDiamond

I chose to reduce my income to allow time to live. Our income whilst in Sydney was much higher than it is in QLD, but that's our choice.

Centurion

Is that any different anywhere in the world ? As an employer in the UK I too want to see the most out of my staff as possible. The fact that I choose to take the long term view and retain my staff by making the workplace and conditions as good as possible is merely a commercial decision. Many of our competitors treat staff with contempt and make the working conditions terrible. Again really its the employers choice to do that (not one I agree with).

I think its very hard to generalise that all employers in particular country are bad or conditions are bad. Wherever you go in the world (UK especially included) you find the whole spectrum from good to bad and everything in between. I'm pleased you've had good employers previously - perhaps the current one is particularly bad.

I tend to find that the huge salary often comes with a price of less personal time or more stress. We, much like ABC are taking the view that the money does not take priority in our lives any longer, we would rather have less and enjoy a better quality of personal life. Its a personal choice for everyone as priorities are different.

ozzieeagle

I'm talking about 4 weeks holiday as the norm. Lots of public holidays, and Long service leave.


plus the occasional holiday de-facto day off, better known as the 'sickie'

It would be interesting to equate how those 2 or 3 extra public holidays that we get here in Aus, plus the extra 'on average' week off, of 4 weeks v 3 weeks, in the uk, does to the hours worked per annum.

I'll leave the Long service part out for now

eatstatic

I do not know one single person in the UK who has only 3 weeks holiday, 4 is the normal length. I get 25 days holiday, I have only been at my company for 2 years. If I stay for a few more years that raises to 30 days.

If you dont know the facts I would save your blushes and put a sock in it.

ABCDiamond

4 weeks is the norm here aswell. So the UK and Australia are about the same ?

There are exceptions; my wife gets 4 weeks + 1 day off every 4 weeks = 33 days per year.

Badge

lol - when I worked in the UK I never had the time - or money to afford to be able to take all 4 weeks off.

Badge

ozzieeagle

On my recent visit, to the UK, not only was I given many woeful tales of inadequate holidays and sickleave. I also understand that many companies taking up new employees are only offering two weeks holidays as the 'norm"

So what we need now is an adjudicator.

BTW, Long service leave, is also the norm in Australia, which equates to 13 weeks leave for ALL permanent employees after 10 years service under federal awards. Not only that but all permanent employees in the Medical professions get 17 weeks paid leave after 10 years service. (thats on top of their normal annual holidays, which for night shift workers, which both my wife and i are, is 5 weeks per annum)

Before retorting to personal comments how about giving the facts a go

ShozInOz

Can only speak of my circumstances, but have been offered two broadly comparable jobs - same salary taking into account pension contributions:

Aus - 20 days holiday, no flexi-time, 15 days sick leave, no maternity pay for women, no paternity pay, 38 hour week, 100% office based
UK - 28 days holiday (rising to 35 over 10 years), flexi-time, 180 days sick leave, maternity pay for women, paternity pay, 35 hour week, work at office or home (also happens to be the better job in terms of core job characteristics)

This trend applies to a few other jobs I've compared.

Then there are Howard's unfair dismissal proposals (isn't dismissal either fair or unfair?). But that wouldn't affect me.

I guess we could handle the Aus conditions if we didn't want to go back to the UK or Europe for visits/holidays, i.e. if we just stayed in Australia. That does apply to some.

ozzieeagle

I will reiterate, what I've said many times in my posts on this BBS, That white collar workers, really do come out badly in the Migration from from england to Aussie. (I know I used to be one in another life)

Non paid maternity leave, is bloody shameful in my book.


Hope those 'workers' that voted for little johnny realise the mess they have got themselves into work conditions wise.

hedgehog-girl

Wow, where do you work? Because me and the thousands of nurses out there certainly do not get more leisure time. Personally, ( and I only work in a small hospital ) we work harder and longer hours and more shifts which doesn't give me more leisure time. ....So where do you work again? I wanna join!

Badge

[QUOTE=ozzieeagle]I will reiterate, what I've said many times in my posts on this BBS, That white collar workers, really do come out badly in the Migration from from england to Aussie. (I know I used to be one in another life)
QUOTE]

Im a white collar worker and have been pleasantly surprised here. I have nothing to fear from the new laws. If I am good I will stay. IF I have to be made redundant then tough. My employers have a right to a living too.

badge

ShozInOz

This is very true. The more specialised or knowledge-based the job, the harder it is to continue one's career here (unless you specialise in something Australian, I suppose!). I'm currently a university lecturer in one of the biggest universities in Australia. Yet it is a short-term stop gap job as the pay is much less than UK universities, the students are nearly illiterate (the Asian's have an excuse, the Australian's don't). The standard of this university is less than the medium-quality old UK polytechnics. Anyway, I'm having to return to industry and a living wage (and conditions)! I think it is a lot easier for tradesmen/tradeswomen.

ozzieeagle

OK... My wife was a pysch nurse for over 12 years at the Lurundel facility, which meant she accrued all those benefits that I've mentioned above. Along came Jeff Kennett, who in his infinite wisdom decided to close and make redundant those working in long term Pyschiatric institutions. Not only that but he paid a Bonus of 10,000 dollars to each nurse leaving, with the proviso that they not work in the health system for 10 years.

Trouble is that left Victoria 'nurseless' lol !!! within 6 weeks my wife was back on the books under the Royal Melbourne umbrellla. and now has 10 years service accrued again.

All 'Federally awarded' nurses get those benefits I've mentioned, check to see if you are under a federal award, if you are call your union.


Badge, I think you and I know where we are coming from on this, You have the 'qualifications' behind you to stand on your own. I like 100,000's of others including some twits, that voted for little johnny dont.


Ergo its those unqualified workers that stand to lose bigtime.

PS, got my shop steward gurnsey on now


Just checked with my waking wife Hedgehog girl, she would like to know, what nurse doesn''t get those awards I'm talking about ?