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Issue No. 252 | 18 February 2005 |
Wood for the Trees
Economics: Super Seduction Interview: Bono and Me Unions: The Eight Hour Day and the Holy Spirit Economics: OEC-Who? Technology: From Widgets to Digits Education: Dumb and Dumber Health: No Place for the Young History: The Work-In That Changed a Nation Review: Dare to Win Poetry: Labor's Dreaming
Detention Centre for Darling Harbour We Have Way of Making You Walk Financiers Squash Capital Idea Taskforce Stands Over Families Big Australian Changes the Rules
Politics The Soapbox Postcard The Locker Room Parliament
Millstone Revealed But Then Again
Labor Council of NSW |
Letters to the Editor But Then Again
The feature article "From Widgets To Digits" (and the research therein referred to) missed the whole point of unionism's failure of the worker. Back in the good ole days of compulsory unionism, union officials just had to sit there and the workers came to them - they had forgotten how to fight - that was the strength of the unions in the early days. Unions got fat and lazy - along with their officials - the paid ones I'm now referring to. Membership declined because the pubs and long boozy lunches took the place of real activitism by unions. When the crunch came in the 70's, 80's and 90's, there was no strength to fight with. Union members had voted with their feet in response to unanswered phone calls for help or unanswered letters - union secretaries had forgotten they were responsible to ensure that their unions were properly run and that members received the service they were seeking - instead of grabbing lazy and lacksadaisical staff by the neck, dragging them out of their pubs and clubs or just making sure they did the job they were paid for. That is, to deal with members' work problems and to recruit new members and to make union membership seen to be something of value. Until trade unions get back to what the did when they were first organised, instead of talking about you-beaut ideas of spreading their services, the will continue to fail because they haven't recognised the first lesson of selling things - if you don't provide a service to your customers they will soon stop buying. That is if it's not too late for unions now that the Howard juggernaut will soon be rolling over them and ordinary workers' rights in the new Senate. (By the way how many people reading this voted for Howard? I hope they will now see the result of their failure to see through the Liberal's electoral bullshit and lies) Denis McGrane
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