Opinion New AFC HQ (Part 2): Family picnics on hiatus

[MarcusP2]

Unions have their place (look at the labour market in America...'at will employment' LMAO). There's a power disparity they go a long way to addressing. Also not sure 'you need legal permission to strike' is a good thing given that.

There's a difference between that and using the power of unions to threaten or abuse individuals acting in their company's interest, threaten people into acting with the union, or companies not involved in the dispute, which Setka does.

The fines against the CFMEU (that McBurnie would have been responsible for, for example:

CFMEU officials physically and verbally threatened workers, made homophobic and sexist slurs, and intimidated people with comments ranging from “[I’ll] grab my bat and start swinging it around” to “Get f---ed you c--t”.

Other transgressions include shouting “daddy’s girl” and “blonde bimbo” at a female worker in Adelaide in 2020 and posting a strike-breaker’s photograph on Facebook in a move a judge said was a modern-day equivalent to placing a person in the stocks to face abuse and assault....The court found the union sought to coerce concreting company and Boral subsidiary De Martin and Gasparini by preventing trucks and workers from accessing Sydney’s Barangaroo site unless it signed a union agreement.

 

[radiojake]

lol, so you’re saying you need a union to achieve this and others out in private enterprises without unions couldn’t?

He has had some doozeys in his time but this is right up there.

I worked on a building site whilst at uni, I was in a union for those 2-3 years, didn’t dawn on me I have the union to thank for being able to buy my first home

Been employed and bought a house. How did anyone ever do this without a union?

I never had anything close to resembling a wage that would afford a mortgage in 20 years of working various jobs up until I got into the industry I am in now - It has a strong union history, our workforce would be almost 100% union members and I am reaping the benefits of that

 

[George Kramer]

He didn’t say that that all, was obviously referring it to his circumstances.
FMD how hard is it for you to understand a simple point?

He was referring to being lucky that he is an industry with a strong union otherwise he couldn’t have bought his house in 6 years, in effect he’s saying that without the union it wouldn’t be possible. So what does that say about all the people working in industries or businesses without strong unions still being able to buy a house? How is that possible without a strong union?

The point being given praise to the union for this achievement is a load of unionist wank.

 

[George Kramer]

I never had anything close to resembling a wage that would afford a mortgage in 20 years of working various jobs up until I got into the industry I am in now - It has a strong union history, our workforce would be almost 100% union members and I am reaping the benefits of that

Maybe you just got a better job…..

Did your fellow workers in those various jobs in 20 years buy houses?

 

[radiojake]

Maybe you just got a better job…..

Did your fellow workers in those various jobs in 20 years buy houses?

yeh i got a better job - it's better because the wages were substantially more than any other industry i had worked in before - and what a coincidence, it was the first industry that i had worked in that was basically fully unionised and had literally 0% casual workforce

that doesn't happen without strong unions

i would hazard a guess that a vast majority of work colleagues at other jobs of mine over the past 20 years would still be renting if they were still at those jobs and didn't have access to inheritance

 

[adelaidecrows]

I never had anything close to resembling a wage that would afford a mortgage in 20 years of working various jobs up until I got into the industry I am in now - It has a strong union history, our workforce would be almost 100% union members and I am reaping the benefits of that

There is being a union and then holding workplaces to ransom. He pushes the bounds of legality. What he does is give unions a bad name.

 

[George Kramer]

yeh i got a better job - it's better because the wages were substantially more than any other industry i had worked in before - and what a coincidence, it was the first industry that i had worked in that was basically fully unionised and had literally 0% casual workforce

that doesn't happen without strong unions

i would hazard a guess that a vast majority of work colleagues at other jobs of mine over the past 20 years would still be renting if they were still at those jobs and didn't have access to inheritance

You see this gets back to my point, you’re crediting the union for people being able to earn a high enough wage to buy a house, now if this applied to all industries/businesses you might be onto something but that’s not the case.

If it’s the first industry you’ve worked in with a higher wage, you’ve clearly been in the wrong industries, you could have found one without union involvement and still have bought a house, just like other members of the population have.

Anyway this discussion has all started off because some thug threatened the AFL that it will cost them money if they didn’t sack the bloke he wanted sacked. No one in their right mind can think that’s ok.

 

[feenix67]

You see this gets back to my point, you’re crediting the union for people being able to earn a high enough wage to buy a house, now if this applied to all industries/businesses you might be onto something but that’s not the case.

If it’s the first industry you’ve worked in with a higher wage, you’ve clearly been in the wrong industries, you could have found one without union involvement and still have bought a house, just like other members of the population have.

Anyway this discussion has all started off because some thug threatened the AFL that it will cost them money if they didn’t sack the bloke he wanted sacked. No one in their right mind can think that’s ok.

You know the stats on wage growth over the past 10 years right?

 

[George Kramer]

You know the stats on wage growth over the past 10 years right?

So you’re another claiming unless you work for an industry with a strong union you can’t buy a house?

 

[WetCrow1991]

So you’re another claiming unless you work for an industry with a strong union you can’t buy a house?

You're being a bit obtuse here.

 

[radiojake]

You see this gets back to my point, you’re crediting the union for people being able to earn a high enough wage to buy a house, now if this applied to all industries/businesses you might be onto something but that’s not the case.

If it’s the first industry you’ve worked in with a higher wage, you’ve clearly been in the wrong industries, you could have found one without union involvement and still have bought a house, just like other members of the population have.

Anyway this discussion has all started off because some thug threatened the AFL that it will cost them money if they didn’t sack the bloke he wanted sacked. No one in their right mind can think that’s ok.

yeah I just worked the wrong industries for 20 years for the lols

housing affordability is at an all time low because people are just choosing to work shitty jobs with shitty wages

 

[feenix67]

So you’re another claiming unless you work for an industry with a strong union you can’t buy a house?

Nope, I was replying to your post not his.

 

[George Kramer]

yeah I just worked the wrong industries for 20 years for the lols

housing affordability is at an all time low because people are just choosing to work shitty jobs with shitty wages

And people who worked in different industries to your for the last 20 years without a strong union that still bought homes?

Yeah housing affordability is at an all time low, that’s hardly due to low wages, how about low supply, immigration, ridiculous price increases, high interest rates……

 

[radiojake]

So you’re another claiming unless you work for an industry with a strong union you can’t buy a house?

it's funny - I never actually said that you can't buy a house without a union strong industry wage
I said it's the reason why I was able to

And here you've added 'another person claiming', when they weren't claiming that, and no one has claimed it

THE ULTIMATE STRAWMAN WARRIOR

 

[George Kramer]

Nope, I was replying to your post not his.

Im arguing you don’t need a strong union to afford a house like radio is suggesting, how about actually replying to that then

 

[George Kramer]

it's funny - I never actually said that you can't buy a house without a union strong industry wage
I said it's the reason why I was able to

And here you've added 'another person claiming', when they weren't claiming that, and no one has claimed it

THE ULTIMATE STRAWMAN WARRIOR

And I’m saying that plenty of society have bought a house without strong unions, so your point is irrelevant.

You know what your contribution is missing? Condemning the thug that threatened costing the AFL money if they didn’t sack the bloke he wants sacked.

 

[feenix67]

Im arguing you don’t need a strong union to afford a house like radio is suggesting, how about actually replying to that then

Sure. Historically, blue collar industries (those with lower base wages) have seen wage growth as a result of union pressure. Undeniable.

Those wage growth stats from you?

 

[adelaidecrows]

And I’m saying that plenty of society have bought a house without strong unions, so your point is irrelevant.

You know what your contribution is missing? Condemning the thug that threatened costing the AFL money if they didn’t sack the bloke he wants sacked.

The thing is he wont achieve anything. Legally Septka has no leg to stand on and if work gets disrupted through him calling snap strikes, he will not succeed. If those strikes are illegal the workers can lose their jobs. This could actually see him removed. Could be his jump the shark moment.

 

[radiojake]

And I’m saying that plenty of society have bought a house without strong unions, so your point is irrelevant.

my point isn't irrelevant

i responded to someone who said 'never join a union'

I disagreed because my unionised industry helped me earn a wage that i had never previously accessed

The union directly helped / benefited me

Ofcourse there is an entire class of folks who have reached a level of affluence without union help, I never said it was the case. But for many people, unionised workforces is the easiest way to achieve that - we don't all have trust funds, family inheritance or unique skills that can demand above average wages - we're called the working class

 

[MarcusP2]

And I’m saying that plenty of society have bought a house without strong unions, so your point is irrelevant.

You know what your contribution is missing? Condemning the thug that threatened costing the AFL money if they didn’t sack the bloke he wants sacked.

His point is obvious. I think radiojake became a teacher? One of those professions that have benefited from a strong union to maintain or improve conditions (like many others in the public service). That union history and ongoing benefit means that industry has better wages than if the union didn't exist, and helped uplift his salary.

Is that possible without a union, of course? Did the union help, also true (in many cases). If unions weren't a benefit to the workers and had no effect on wages...why would business complain about them or set up entire subsidiaries to avoid them (like Patrick and BHP?)

Hell, the AMA is one of the most effective unions in Australia in preserving wages and conditions for its members and they are some of the highest earners there are.

 

[relapse]

There is being a union and then holding workplaces to ransom. He pushes the bounds of legality. What he does is give unions a bad name.

Yeah I agree

Unions definitely have their place, but there needs to be a healthy balance.

When clowns like Setka and the CFMEU constantly act like standover men it does unionism zero favours. That sort of crap becomes a lightning rod to those who push the anti union message and damages the reputation of the whole industry.

 

[Mostyn]

In fairness not all unions are like this lot of crazies.

And as much as they can be bellends, the CFMEU certainly look out for their members.

 

[George Kramer]

my point isn't irrelevant

i responded to someone who said 'never join a union'

I disagreed because my unionised industry helped me earn a wage that i had never previously accessed

The union directly helped / benefited me

Ofcourse there is an entire class of folks who have reached a level of affluence without union help, I never said it was the case. But for many people, unionised workforces is the easiest way to achieve that - we don't all have trust funds, family inheritance or unique skills that can demand above average wages - we're called the working class

So what’s your thoughts on the thugs blackmail?

 

[Mostyn]

So what’s your thoughts on the thugs blackmail?

You can not like a leader but still support what they represent.

I'm pro Israel but think Netanyahu is a horrendous leader with terrible policies. Doesn't make me anti who he represents though.

 

[George Kramer]

You can not like a leader but still support what they represent.

I'm pro Israel but think Netanyahu is a horrendous leader with terrible policies. Doesn't make me anti who he represents though.

How do we know he doesn’t like the leader? There’s been no comment