Workers Rights
I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas yesterday, whatever you ended up doing. I spent the day, as I do every year, with my large family, which seems to grow every year.
Like many Australians, I’m looking forward to spending the next few weeks, relaxing, doing some reading, hanging out at the beach, catching up with family and friends – and doing a few chores around the house that I’ve been putting off for far too long.
But, of course, many others worked yesterday, and will be working during the summer break. When I was a nurse, I often worked on public holidays, including Christmas, which gave me a real appreciation of the penalty rates unions have won as compensation for those rostered on at those times.
Our politicians need our help. They’re overworked.
According to news.com.au, Federal politicians “who ride in taxpayer-financed cars to board taxpayer-financed flights to get to work, say a tight schedule and winter fog is forcing them to leave their families early and forgo functions in electorates to fly to Canberra on Sunday evenings”.
They also suffer in their jocks with dismal pay, appalling superannuation, and disgusting Parliamentary offices. And their bosses are nitpicking bastards.
Continue reading "Tiny violins are playing for our politicians" »
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Joan says:
Too right, Ryan. Tell her she’s dreamin’. Read more »
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RyaN says:
@Joan: I think she mightn’t be to Tims taste. Read more »
You can’t understand the history of social progress in Australia without understanding the union movement.
Unions have been the way in which ordinary Australians have made their voice heard in Government.
The way in which workers from shearers and nurses to factory workers have got together to build a common cause and combine their strength.
Continue reading "Unions are still giving ordinary Australians a voice" »
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John Livers says:
Joining a Union is a great way to gain a louder voice in wanting better rights and treatment, but you have to join the right union. Not all unions succeed in gaining better welfare for their members, and they leave members hanging. Read more »
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luis neto says:
tony albanese gets a wage increase to over $8 million plus a year but thats ok the ceo’s get massive pay rises nobody cries about it the low income families ask for $26 a week the acci the employers the states start complaining its outrageous the unions are destroying the… Read more »
We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory.
We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is.
But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society.
Continue reading "You call ‘em thugs, I call ‘em foot soldiers of democracy" »
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Sean Ambrose says:
If I were running this country, the likes of Clive Palmer would be incarcerated in a Zoo where they would be on display as an exotic exhibit and entertainment value for ordinary working Australians. No doubt the interest from such attraction would generate more in terms of revenue collected from… Read more »
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Tony says:
@Michael N “I’ll stick to my individual contract and I’ll leave the lower union wages to the mediocrity.” Why do employers offer invididual contracts? Because it puts them in a stronger bargaining position. The more individual contracts out there the stronger the employers position. If everyone was on an individual… Read more »
When Christmas Day becomes just another work day, you would have to say that the free market has finally spun out of control.
While it’s no surprise that big business tries to squeeze every last cent out of workers, we hope for something a little bit better from government. That’s why its so shocking that in some states, this Christmas won’t be a public holiday.
Since time immemorial civilisations have centred around core beliefs and values that shape their society. They tell us who we are and what we want to be. To celebrate and share these values, every culture has developed its own calendar of special and holy days.
Continue reading "Governments stealing Christmas from workers" »
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Johnno says:
What is so special about newspapers? All the essential services that work 24/7 are in the same situation. If you don’t like it find another job, and stop whinging. You are looked after by extra time off Read more »
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nathan says:
I work Fridays saturdays and sundays cleaning trains. So I have to work for normal pay and then the week crew come in on monday and reap the rewards.. It sux.. Read more »
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