Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
Sep 22nd 2012, 5:05 am
#301
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
Have you read the posts by Cresta and my links re firefighters? If they aren't frontline then who is?
This is about the unfair mass culling of jobs at a moment's notice and with no logical thought process behind it - as I've stated before. Many of us do not consider ourselves "frontline"- I'm told mine is as frontline as my agency gets, I'm not sure I agree with that definition personally, the world would go on without us, but once paramedics and firefighters are getting axed that is a little more serious. I've also never used the phrase "job for life"as I don't believe in it - I'm all for accountability. You need to try and see the point that I and others are making. Thousands of people were informed - many by email - out of the blue that their roles, many of them essential to the everyday lives of ordinary people, were axed. Those staff were told that they could transfer to other jobs, only there aren't any, cos they've been axed. Many of these staff are experts in their fields - with skills the government badly needs - but because of their position falling on the wrong side of the line they are gone. There is no logic behind the huge number of jobs culled, and any savings could have been achieved less painfully with a staggered redundancy programme over the next 12 months or so. Apart from a lack of logic the cuts are being delivered in a brutal way - humanity seems in short supply at present here.
Two people I was speaking with yesterday are the only people in their department with any knowledge of a major disaster related programme. They are now out of work, no-one in the department has any knowledge of the processes and that department's participation in the programme has stalled with huge financial implications. I could give several specific examples but I still have my job (thank the Goddess) and hence I am careful only to discuss what is already in the public domain.
This is about the unfair mass culling of jobs at a moment's notice and with no logical thought process behind it - as I've stated before. Many of us do not consider ourselves "frontline"- I'm told mine is as frontline as my agency gets, I'm not sure I agree with that definition personally, the world would go on without us, but once paramedics and firefighters are getting axed that is a little more serious. I've also never used the phrase "job for life"as I don't believe in it - I'm all for accountability. You need to try and see the point that I and others are making. Thousands of people were informed - many by email - out of the blue that their roles, many of them essential to the everyday lives of ordinary people, were axed. Those staff were told that they could transfer to other jobs, only there aren't any, cos they've been axed. Many of these staff are experts in their fields - with skills the government badly needs - but because of their position falling on the wrong side of the line they are gone. There is no logic behind the huge number of jobs culled, and any savings could have been achieved less painfully with a staggered redundancy programme over the next 12 months or so. Apart from a lack of logic the cuts are being delivered in a brutal way - humanity seems in short supply at present here.
Two people I was speaking with yesterday are the only people in their department with any knowledge of a major disaster related programme. They are now out of work, no-one in the department has any knowledge of the processes and that department's participation in the programme has stalled with huge financial implications. I could give several specific examples but I still have my job (thank the Goddess) and hence I am careful only to discuss what is already in the public domain.
Sep 22nd 2012, 5:05 am
#302
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
So what you are essentially saying is that people who are public servants should expect "jobs for life." People from ireland moved to Australia because there are so few jobs over in Ireland but we all expected to cry buckets for people who may have to move states for jobs? gee, we are breeding people soft these days. No-one, the world or any government, owes people a living.
Sep 22nd 2012, 5:06 am
#303
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
So what you are essentially saying is that people who are public servants should expect "jobs for life." People from ireland moved to Australia because there are so few jobs over in Ireland but we all expected to cry buckets for people who may have to move states for jobs? gee, we are breeding people soft these days. No-one, the world or any government, owes people a living.
No-one is saying that the world owes them a living, they would just like to see the rationale behind what appears to be random slashing of jobs across all sectors of Queenslands public services
Last edited by old.sparkles; Sep 22nd 2012 at 5:06 am. Reason: spelling as always
Sep 22nd 2012, 7:03 am
#304
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
So what you are essentially saying is that people who are public servants should expect "jobs for life." People from ireland moved to Australia because there are so few jobs over in Ireland but we all expected to cry buckets for people who may have to move states for jobs? gee, we are breeding people soft these days. No-one, the world or any government, owes people a living.
Of course, in the case of some people it WAS a job for life - and death.
I know a few firefighters, and they live the life of Riley, most have enough time to work another job like relief teaching. Plus with advances in technology not as many men are needed anymore. There are always two sides to every story, and people always act in their own self-interest. Sometiems government have to make tough decisions for the betterment of the state/country as a whole.
Life of riley? You really do have a very different way of looking at things! I am trying to understand your veiwpoint - where do you live? What job do you do and do you have a reason for enjoying seeing people suffer unemployment?
Sep 22nd 2012, 7:18 am
#305
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
I really don't think he's listening Pen.
Of course, in the case of some people it WAS a job for life - and death.
So you are saying there are too many firefighters on Queensland? I think I might leave that one for Cresta, I would find it hard to be polite while answering - except to say that many firefighters, having worked the shifts they are opermitted to work in a week, then have second jobs to help pay the bills. Of course, computers can now put out fires can't they, why would why need people?!!!
Life of riley? You really do have a very different way of looking at things! I am trying to understand your veiwpoint - where do you live? What job do you do and do you have a reason for enjoying seeing people suffer unemployment?
Of course, in the case of some people it WAS a job for life - and death.
So you are saying there are too many firefighters on Queensland? I think I might leave that one for Cresta, I would find it hard to be polite while answering - except to say that many firefighters, having worked the shifts they are opermitted to work in a week, then have second jobs to help pay the bills. Of course, computers can now put out fires can't they, why would why need people?!!!
Life of riley? You really do have a very different way of looking at things! I am trying to understand your veiwpoint - where do you live? What job do you do and do you have a reason for enjoying seeing people suffer unemployment?
Wow there's jerks & jerks hey
Sep 22nd 2012, 7:44 am
#306
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
So what you are essentially saying is that people who are public servants should expect "jobs for life." People from ireland moved to Australia because there are so few jobs over in Ireland but we all expected to cry buckets for people who may have to move states for jobs? gee, we are breeding people soft these days. No-one, the world or any government, owes people a living.
Sep 22nd 2012, 7:48 am
#307
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
I know a few firefighters, and they live the life of Riley, most have enough time to work another job like relief teaching. Plus with advances in technology not as many men are needed anymore. There are always two sides to every story, and people always act in their own self-interest. Sometiems government have to make tough decisions for the betterment of the state/country as a whole.
Everyone has said time and time again that yes, public servant numbers most definitely need to be cut in Queensland. What everyone who is seeing what's happening and who know how the cuts are being made are saying is that Newman has jumped into the job, turned his back on the people who voted for him, has lied, has changed government policy to suit himself simply to cut numbers regardless of whether those jobs are necessary or not.
He has taken no time to understand how specific departments work, what they do or the ramifications of closing them down, he has simply cut numbers and Queensland as a whole, and a great many of the people who've lost their jobs will suffer for no reason. A lot of those who've lost their jobs deserved to do so, but there are also a lot who didn't and then there are those who didn't lose their jobs who are not competent and who are now running departments without the expertise to do so.
It's not rocket science. The man has cocked up big time. Yes Queensland mistakenly voted him in but that doesn't mean that we all sit back and allow him to continue unchallenged. That's not how democracy works. Government officials have to be challenged if the people consider mistakes have been made, it's how it works. That's what this thread is about.
It's not about jobs for the boys, or jobs for life. It's about cutting the numbers in an educated and detailed way.
Sep 22nd 2012, 8:06 am
#308
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
I know many think I am one eyed regarding the UK but I have nothing on Aussietobe when it comes to seeing an Australia few others see. To him no doubt Aussie firefighters work 3 hours a day, all drive Porsches and drink VB.
Sep 22nd 2012, 10:48 am
#309
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
For anyone interested, here is part of the current Queensland Pay Award for FirefighterS.
Sep 22nd 2012, 11:21 am
#310
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
Most people leaving the government are reporting there is nothing around. The word seems to be that the majority are expecting a long wait to find anything else, and I know a fair few who are resigned to spending their redundancy payouts on relocating to other States in search of work.
I'vce also heard of people returning to Ireland, the UK and New Zealand, and at least 6 suicides have so far been reported as direct results of job losses.
One guy I know has 15 years service and has never accessed his sick leave. This month he was told he needs a major back operation, the recovery time would've been covered by his sick leave. Instead he now has no job, no prospect of another (especially with impending surgery), large mortgage, and 2 kids under four who he can't be the prime carer for as he can't even lift the baby - thus the wife has to be the carer for the kids and can't work full time even if she could get a job.
I'vce also heard of people returning to Ireland, the UK and New Zealand, and at least 6 suicides have so far been reported as direct results of job losses.
One guy I know has 15 years service and has never accessed his sick leave. This month he was told he needs a major back operation, the recovery time would've been covered by his sick leave. Instead he now has no job, no prospect of another (especially with impending surgery), large mortgage, and 2 kids under four who he can't be the prime carer for as he can't even lift the baby - thus the wife has to be the carer for the kids and can't work full time even if she could get a job.
Sep 22nd 2012, 12:08 pm
#311
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
It does sound as though it is starting to mirror image what has been happening here in the last few years with over one million people extra becoming unemployed, resulting in the same sort of personal tragedies on a grand scale. The reason I asked when the new jobless figures are next out, is because I read somewhere that jobs were still being created elsewhere and the figures might not go up at all.
http://www.news.com.au/national/prot...-1226479390720
Sep 22nd 2012, 12:13 pm
#312
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
Haven't heard of any in Queensland, not in any number. Most people going out of work are resigned to finding nothing, and a lot of jobs are also going as an indirect result of the cuts - in some regional areas for example local shops will suffer cos there are a lot less wages in villages, and even in the CBD there are obvious signs of it, we were discussing yesterday places that we had all noticed, coffee shops closed, newsagents, card shop near the station just closed - its very noticeable that there are a lot less people on the trains in the morning at present.
http://www.news.com.au/national/prot...-1226479390720
http://www.news.com.au/national/prot...-1226479390720
Obviously you are there, but its not being reflected in the unemployment figures, I know they dropped last time out overall, but I don't recall the Queensland figures, did they go up?
Sep 22nd 2012, 2:03 pm
#313
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
Unemployment figures are nonsense anyway. There are masses of us unemployed who because we're not entitled to any Centrelink help, won't appear on the 'official' figures.
Sep 22nd 2012, 3:00 pm
#314
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
I agree I don't believe the figures anymore than you do, but its all we have to go on, we know the fiddles that go on here in the UK.
Sep 22nd 2012, 4:16 pm
#315
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Re: Queensland public servants declare war on Newman
No idea, sorry! I don't feel they are reliable - as Pen says - so I never look at them.