Aaron, what an excellent suggestion, we could then boycott these employers products and services, the ultimate consumer protection, vote with our feet.

Shonga,

Yes it will work won't it. In addition to which, unlike the Parliament's IR reforms, it will only effect those that seek to harm others. Unfortunately I expect this to be quite a contentious issue, being that the unions / associations of employers feel that they should be allowed to continue using collective bargaining (v Gov't), and using their financial leverage, and legal advisers to abrogate or curtail the rights and freedoms of Australian workers (nb I have read all of the proposed amendments - see my home page / blog). Meanwhile they advocate shrilly, the removal of the right of employees to the protection of collective bargaining and legal representation through unions.

If the current procedure adopted by companies when defending tort claims is adapted to defending unfair dismissal in the courts, $4,000 will be insufficient for most cases to even reach trial. Therefore i hardly think that this is a true safeguard against misuse of socio-economic power by employers', and new ideas and approaches are needed.

That would seem the logical thing for you to do Shonga - turn your back on the argument because you were wrong on so many fronts.

I didn't accuse you of hate mail because I disagreed with you - I accused you of hate mail because you told a successful person you wished they went bankrupt as it would teach them a lesson.

And of course, you railed against me as some sort of beastly employer with a chip on my shoulder who has no compassion for anyone, which as I pointed out is not the case at all.

You keep beating your head against the wall for that exploitative boss of yours during the day and raging against the machine in your spare time. Your prerogative really.

I'll keep setting goals, investing in my future and that of my kids and doing my work for charity and local organisations.

t.u.s.

Actually, I can see an argument to justify at least some of the IR reform and the de-regulation of some parts of the labour market. However, what I cannot understand is why this government appears to be attacking our societies most vulnerable members from every angle.
If they were suggesting an IR package that also included large amounts of money going to early childhood education and care in disadvantaged areas, if they were proposing to give parents in disadvantaged groups huge amounts of help and support, if they were proposing pouring money into disadvantaged public schools and helping kids from poorer backgrounds get through uni, then they would have me. Because then they would be arguing for success through real merit based on a committment to equity, particularly for kids.
Unfortunately, they are doing none of those things, mostly, in fact, the opposite. They persist in giving more to those who already have more and less to those who already have less. A philosophy I simply can't understand.
Market forces ought to prefer a system that encourages real merit based on equality of opportunity, because people getting ahead because they were lucky enough to be born to the right parents, rather than on talent, is actually a tax on all of us. That's why these IR reforms aren't really reforms at all.

To sign a petition urging Barnaby Joyce to cross the floor and vote down the IR legislation, go to http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/campaigns/takeastand/takeastandpetition/cat_process

t.u.s=t.b.t I don't turn my back on anything, but I don't tolerate fools easily. If you are a jurno, and a Tory, that's fine with me. Especially when I see today, that you are sliding into the minority big time, with the ALP 16 points in front of you. The employees of this country are only now beginning to see through your philosophy concerning their wages and conditions, so God willing, these new draconian measures will only last 18 months, and we will return to some sort of fairness, in employment. The reason I have given up argueing with you is, there are none so blind, as those who will not see. Two bob Tory's are a dime a dozen, if you feel good about yourself, in the end, that is all that matters, I have nothing whatsoever against you, merely against your exploitative attitudes to IR.If you consider yourself to be a successful person, I say good on you, so long as you don't take good people down, who are merely trying to make a living to support their families. Have you ever considered that your charity work, need not be done, if employees were paid a decent wage, especially at the lower end of the scale, probably not. I have a mentality of help thy neighbour, and yours seems to be, buggar you Jack, I'm alright. It is merely a difference of opinion, not hate mail, as you dramaticly described it, it is not the politics of envy, it is the politics of fairness, look forward to your future postings.