To all of you who think the Labor Party and the unions can be revived, think again.

The unions and the Labor Party are incapable of defending the rights of workers because their role is to contain workers within the current economic system which subordinates every single thing to the drive for profit.

Let’s not kid ourselves. The unions have not protected conditions, let alone won any significant improvement in conditions in decades. The unions have not seriously fought the Work Choices legislation. Yes, they organized the protest marches. But they didn’t even call strikes. The marches ended in little concerts and most workers went back to work.

The unions’ solution was to vote Labor at the next election. Labor will not do anything – because they can’t. They can’t because they are just as beholden to big business as little Johnny’s party (as are the unions). The Labor Party began the process of cutting workers conditions with their “labor market deregulation” reforms in the 80s in “Accord” with the unions. The Labor party cannot be reformed or revived, nor can the unions.

It is the same the world over. It is time we started thinking seriously about what is going on in the world, and what we can do about it - outside of the traditional mechanisms which only channel dissent back into the same system that causes the problems.

You might be interested in checking out the following articles on unions (some of them are quite long).

http://www.wsws.org/articles/testdir/oct2004/auir-o23.shtml

http://www.wsws.org/exhibits/unions/unions.htm

http://www.wsws.org/workers/1998/apr1998/mua-a11.shtml

This trade unionist has an early start today tao, but its with a smile on my face thanks to you.
Unions knew any strike actions would feed Howards anti union fire and refrained from surender.
Do you truely see a way other than unions and the ALP to restore balance in Australia?
Can you not understand without trade unions the average minemum wage would be so very much less?
Heard of the ACTU? and how can anyone think wages currently paid are a gift from the boss?
Time and the ALP will remove Howard ,with the help of Australian voters.

A lot of people forget (or ignore) that the company belongs to the boss (or bosses, including shareholders), not the workers. Full stop. Enough of this pseudo Marxist crap about workers having a say in the business. If, and when their houses get grabbed by the bank when the business goes under, and if and when they spend sixteen hour days working in or stressing over the future of the company, we might have a different matter on our hands. If employees don't like it, they can go elsewhere or start their own businesses. Oh yeah, that's right, if workers get a better offer, they do go elsewhere. There's no unfair leaving law to compensate a boss left high and dry. There's no law that punishes incompetency or irresponsibility that costs a business its clients and sends it under. Where's the compensation for the boss? That's right, he's just a rich prick who deserves nothing because he's trying to screw everybody.

If workers really want to bind their bosses with rules, then perhaps they should have some put back on them. Oh, wait, then some charge of indentured servitude or slavery would be levelled, and let's remember, only the boss is allowed to be indentured or bound by rules in this country.

All the whingers (especially the union officials) should go and start a small business and then we'd see how long their love for the little Aussie battler lasted.

All the whingers (especially the union officials) should go and start a small business and then we'd see how long their love for the little Aussie battler lasted.

Posted by shorbe, Tuesday, 16 May 2006 8:25:38 AM

My thoughts as well shorbe.

I have never seen a mob of wingers like most of the people posting here.
No matter what happens, it will never be enough for them.
It all stems from an “understanding called the Australian settlement”
This understanding was that the urban areas would get their lifestyle “enhanced” so as to attract more immigrants. It has been successful, but now they want to stop more people coming in, but keep the enhancement for their lifestyle.

As a country we have overspent more than $400,000,000,000 the last 30 odd years.
What a legacy to leave our kids when energy supplies are becoming more expensive. The wingers on this site have had the price of wages regulated up with the increasing cost of oil over the last 35 years, meaning it costs the same amount of their income to buy it today as 35 years ago.

I also think it about time the union movement took over some business and showed the present business managers how pathetic they are, as that is what they are implying all the time.

The comments so far have been all statements with no information on the effect of their statements.

I ask; how we are going to pay for everything that has been demanded on this thread?

Tao you are wrong, is that you Barnaby?

I don't think you understand that these IR laws may end up
leading to the end of state governments.

The Liberal party has lost the plot and now are fully controled
by offshore interests. Wake up to yourself

Dunart, The environment is the biggest threat to mankind and I am active in changing that.

Howard and the Liberals are the biggest threat to this countries way of life including you people. Two totally different issues.. you
have no idea so go and whing somewhere else. Oh and you wanted effects of the IR laws, lets start with large jump in crime within
5 years. Go away.......