
Issue No 73		13 October 2000

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Trades Hall

Neale Towart's Labour Review

The latest from the man with all the answers.

In this issue:

New York Union-Building: lessons for today
Talking to Teens: two activists say unions 'gotta get into young people', and,
A Union Education
Casual Employment and Dismissal
Options for Assisting Low-wage Earners
Investigating the Economic Cost of Injury in the Workplace: a case study approach
When Performance Fails to Meet Expectations: Managers Objectives for Outsourcing
Where do the Children Play? What's happening with vacation care?
Telework Project: interview with Dr Gillian Whitehouse

New York Union-Building: lessons for today

Gains for US workers following World War II came from collective bargaining. In New York, starting from a higher base than many other areas in the US, the union movement was successful in establishing a rich social program, including housing provision, rent control and housing co-operatives. Other services that unions were instrumental in establishing and improving included health care coverage from employers, establishment of union run health clinics, and helped found the City Center for Music and Drama, s families of modest means could enjoy this "high" culture and entertainment.

Unions can't go back to these times but lessons from the organising efforts then should be heeded. In particular the earlier successes show that:

Unions gain from reaching out to the broader community and makes efforts on behalf of a broad constituency. The diverse racial and ethnic background of people in New York was embraced by the unions.
The struggle was brought to the community by the unions as advocates for all working people. Living wage campaigns, fights against discrimination, demands for health care, housing and education win allies for the unions and bolster their broad standing.

(America@work, September 2000)

Talking to Teens: two activists say unions 'gotta get into young people', and, A Union Education

Two young activists say that unions need to reach young people, and perhaps the way to do this is for unions to turn out and raise their voice on broader issues that young people are aware of, such as environmental issues, sweatshops, and (in the US) prison labour. Young people aren't antagonistic to unions, but are not connected to them. Unions need to make the connections. Communication with students in open, innovative ways is crucial, and suggestions and examples are discussed here.

(America@work, September 2000)

Casual Employment and Dismissal

A man who contacted an employer every day for twenty months to seek work was found to be a "regular casual" employee and therefore covered by the dismissal provisions of the Workplace Relations Act 1996. Over the twenty months, the man worked about 275 days. It was held that while he had no expectation of work every day, it was reasonable for him to expect some work every week, and in that sense the work was regular and systematic.

Draper v Sherrin Hire Pty Ltd; CCH Recruitment and Termination Guide 22-150

(Recruitment and Termination Update; newsletter 25, 18 September 2000)

Options for Assisting Low-wage Earners

David Ingles and Ken Oliver

A number of proposals for reducing unemployment in Australia focus on cuts or freezes in award wages. The proposals include suggestions to offset some of the distributional impacts by top ups of wages or tax transfer systems. So far the tax transfer system and the living wage cases have helped underpin low wages, helping keep inequality in check. The sustainability of this mechanism is constantly in doubt with attacks on the industrial relations system and massive changes in the social welfare system. Suggestions presented here to maintain and improve the socio-economic conditions of low wage earners include rental assistance schemes, reduction of income tax for low wage earners, and income tax credit schemes.

(Economic and Labour Relations Review; vol. 11, no. 1, June 2000)

Investigating the Economic Cost of Injury in the Workplace: a case study approach

Geoffrey Kiel, H Ted Kolsen, Carmel Smith

Macro-economic costs alone do not accurately portray the totality of costs that are incurred as a result of workplace injury. Using case study analysis of six work related injuries, the paper reports on the total costs of injury, and identifies the key determinants of the costs. The studies indicate that the typical profile costs approach used in assessing cost on work related injuries bear little relation to the real costs of injuries.

(Economic and Labour Relations Review; vol. 11, no. 1, June 2000)

When Performance Fails to Meet Expectations: Managers Objectives for Outsourcing

Suzanne Young and Johanna Macneil

Managers may implement outsourcing for one or more of a range of reasons: to improve flexibility, to reduce costs or risk, to change their own roles, to change organisational structure or workplace power structure, and to intensify work effort. However, there are associated costs, either unanticipated or unquantified. This paper looks at two food processing companies to address the questions of why managers pursue outsourcing and have managers calculated the costs as well as the benefits? Managers start with clear objective for outsourcing but often find unexpected costs, and changes in objectives as information and situations change. Managers are often unable to objectively substantiate outsourcing decisions. (John Fahey and the outsourcing of IT contracts in the Federal public service seem to provide a further classic example of this. See the Sydney Morning Herald 6 October 2000)

(Economic and Labour Relations Review; vol. 11, no. 1, June 2000)

Where do the Children Play? What's happening with vacation care?

Every year, working parents have to manage around 12 weeks of their children's vactions, when their own allocation of recreation leave is usually four weeks. Cumulative survey data collected by Families At Work form 1999-2000 show that the number of days lost per parental employee due to care breaking down during holidays is 1.7 days per annum. There can be clear benefits for employers in minimising school holiday difficulties for parents. The Commonwealth Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestries - Australia (AFFA) has provided vacation care since 1992, initially by reserving places with local programs. Staff initiated the idea. As demand grew and it became difficult to reserve enough places, the dept used an existing amenities room and purchased services from a program provider. The dept guaranteed the program in the early years, but its role has lessened as the program expanded. Parents appreciate the ease of bringing children to work for the care.

Westpac provides information and referral services to their staff. Westpac's Family Carelink provides information and advice to employees on dependant care arrangements for children, elderly relatives, those with disabilities and other dependants.

(Work and Family; issue 23, August 2000)

Telework Project: interview with Dr Gillian Whitehouse

A national survey specifically about telework has been conducted, with the aim of identifying impediments to the introduction of telework in Australia and the potential benefits and costs that might be associated with this type of employment.

(Work and Family; issue 23, August 2000)

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Issue 73 contents

Interview: Righting The Wrongs
Improving the lives of Aboriginal people can't be taken out of the context of the economy, welfare and other areas says Bob McMullan, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

Economics: At The Mercy Of Gamblers
The plunge of the Australian dollar relative to the greenback has consequences for Aussie workers according to Frank Stillwell.

History: Labour History Under Seige Again
The Friends of the Noel Butlin Archives Centre have recently been informed of proposed changes to the Noel Butlin Archives Centre (NBAC), changes that will cut staff by more than 50% and leave the Archives mothballed in the tunnel where the repository is situated.

Workplace: Fighting The Flexible Firm
We are told that hardship and exploitation at work is dying out, and the new economy offers opportunity, freedom and job satisfaction for all. Richard Sennett unveils the true nature of the flexible workplace.

Safety: Being bossed around is bad for your health
A survey of more than 3,000 Australian workers has revealed that some 54% of workers experience intimidating behaviour in their workplace. In almost 85% of cases it is employers, managers and supervisors who are identified as the culprits.

Unions: Discrimination
New to the union and the maritime industry and with only a few days casual work to live off, Stephen Rolls courageously spoke up against individual contracts during a job interview with Burnie Port Corp.

International: Serbian Workers and Their Unions Fight for Freedom
Serbian workers and their unions have been at the forefront of the struggle for democracy in Yugoslavia as they led a general strike in response to attempts by President Slobodan Milosevic to nullify the defeat he faced in the Sept. 24 election.

Satire: A few more years of civilised brutality will advantage Aborigines: Ruddock
CANBERRA, Tuesday: The Minister for Reconciliation Philip Ruddock has defended his comments to French newspaper Le Monde claiming that Aborigines were disadvantaged because they were late in coming into contact with developed civilisations.

Review: Poetry For Workers By Workers
Poems about the trials and tribulations of a waitress and what you learn in a chocolate factory are among the gems from the 925 anthology.

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