"That would be their choice - and choice being a cornerstone of Howardian ideology, I thought you might approve."

No doubt, said with tongue firmly in cheek and spin in hyperdrive. Yes, but the Howardists earned the right to have a choice. Unions, on the other hand, after having politically poo-pooed choice for so long, want to now jump on the "choice" bandwagon when it suits them. Interesting how the rhetoric changes when there's a smell of union power in the air.

Another point in the general discussion about unions is that the talk is all about getting new members and building up unions. The other side of the coin should be a frank assessment by unions about why members have been leaving. Just yesterday I saw the best piece of one-sided proselytising by a union official I've ever seen. One couldn't help but admire the passion and the clarity of the person and the message. However, while the sentiments were great, the reality is far different. It's exactly that one-sided passion that causes the problems for many ordinary people/workers out there. It's a case of one man's meat being another's poison.

If unions are to have a future, they need to compromise on their ideological purity and accept that a diversity of views are a reality in the workplace and work with them, not against them.

Pericles.... I never said anything about the union paying for the discounts... you invented that.

I know every well how it works thanks.

Discounting, when taken to the extreme, sends business broke. And then where would all the Shoppo's be?

Of course, 'discounting' is also a scam, and preys on union members and others who fall for it.

Generally, it indicates the 'retail' price is too high in the first place.

The 'wurkers'.... always taken for a ride, eh?

Women continue to be victims of discrimination in and out from their workplace. Although in the top lever there are 50% men and women in the lower lever, there are not many women organizers to promote women rights and write new members in the Union
Migrants, non Anglo Saxon This category of employees is under the worst conditions, low income, no opportunities, bulling, humiliation, etc. If the Union continues to ignore (I do not speak on papers or on the top level I mean in the floor)their basic rights then there is no hope for the Union to increase its members from this category.
3.Democracy in the Union Movement.
Democracy is the system for the poor, for the weak, for the members. We must have some basic rules, a maximum time without elections. I remembered when I was counselor in the Union /printing division, we decided for elections, (after 8 years) we gave candidates’ forms to Union Bureaucracy for the Electoral commission but they forgot to give them to Electoral Commission!!. If we want a strong Union movement we must respect Union member’s rights to play an important role on Union’s policies and elect Union's leaders, in regular times.
Union Autonomy The Union Movement must be autonomous from political parties and ready to fight them if they ignore or promote policies against labour’s benefits.
Society The Union Movement must improve its connections, its relations with Australian society. Labor’s real life start after their shift. Unionists are not hard, uncivilized persons, they are mature, sensitive and responsible persons not only in their workplace but even more out from their workplace. There are many poets, musicians, artists etc in the Union movement,Enter to people’s hearts from the early ages, start from the children. Create summer camps for member’s and friend’s children. In Europe hundreds of thousands children go to Union’s camps every year. Use these camps for pensioners. cooperate with schools.

Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaid