PALE can you please consider that your constant diverting threads is if not against forum rules is rude?
Unions are in decline to say it is not true is blindness, to put all the blame on workchoices untrue and unwise.
However this point in time has been coming for some time , the need for change is real.
It however is full of promise for the future not threats, constant improvement is like that.
I do not favor unions being in business just to make money so training? yes if it benefits members.
More benefits can come from training officials and delegates for the challenges of modern unionism.

Belly said

PALE can you please consider that your constant diverting threads are if not against forum rules is rude?

PALE replies

Belly
I swear your getting worse, instead of better. The title of this thread is=

Trade Unions in Decline?

Rude? - Belly its rude not to answer when someone asks our question- you did ask a question – we answered-
What’s the problem now?

Our answer went on to discuss the AMIEU which the last time I looked is a union.
Our answer to your comments below is well within topic=

Belly said
I hope new directions are on the agenda not looking for the lights on the hill past ones.

Pale replied
We have migrants coming into this country that need work.

We need them to feed us. We require skilled labor in the regional areas to keep this country going.

http://www.amieu.asn.au/pages.php?recid=120
The People you see here agree. They also are people who work with us. How dare you say we have no place posting in a thread about unions?
Not only do I agree with the AMIEU I have a duty to support them.
They host our petition and campaign with us shoulder to shoulder.

We don’t support parties belly just good people and policies.
Thats how you test the men from the boys.
Again I am sorry if you have a problem with people speaking the truth. However that’s what OLO is for to post differences of opinions.
Now as the AMIEU will tell you there isn’t much that exporting our raw materials doesn’t effect in Australia.
We say to the Minister of immigration and Rudd for god sake opens the Abattoirs and factories too.

The debate was one we could have got into , most have an opinion about unions.
It was not about live animal exports or one party or the other.
Briefly we spoke about Unions and of the meat workers fight to keep jobs in this country.
A very left wing union in my view I can understand the reasons they want to do so.
I could debate the issue at length can we Australians ever export only meat not animals?
It would be unhelpful in a debate that asks are unions viable still? are they in decline?
PALE understands I am uninterested in debate with that group, have let my self slip yet again into dangerous ground.
Rational debate is not possible between us.
I have seen threads die early because we got of subject and ask please those who post as PALE consider when do you think I asked a question of you?
Each of us has the right to think as we wish and for some this forum is a Chance to discus important issues I willingly buy into debate about unions/Labor/ politics but surely not in threads about other issues?
I do not question others rights to disagree with me.
But my view that live exports are not the all important issue PALE implies sees insults rather than debate.
Unions and their future are in flux hiding our heads will not do it workchoices only highlighted the fact change is the future path.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/wa/content/2006/s1930247.htm
Abattoir operators reject skilled labour agreement
By Skye Shannon

Tuesday, 22/05/2007

There've been further developments on a deal that was struck last week between state and federal governments to import overseas skilled abattoir workers.

West Australian abattoir operators say they're disgusted with the final reading of the agreement.

Collectively the industry will refuse to accept the Federal Government's final offer which has been in negotiation for 10 months.

Merv D'Arcy of the Australian Meat Industry Council says abattoirs can't afford to adhere to the proposed requirements.

"The majority of processors involved in yesterday's discussions rejected the document. Whilst we have said it's still open to anyone to use it, that's their prerogative."

"For both ministers to come out and say they're releasing this without any prior consultation before the release, it just bewilders industry."

"It's absolutely disgusting because the labour agreement's been forced upon us and yet other sectors of industry have been allowed to use the 457 visa application and still are and have enjoyed it."

"An overseas worker coming in here under this labour agreement :one, the employer has to pay his medical insurance, if he brings his family over he has to pay the cost of the family coming over, he has to pay the family's medical insurance costs, he has to pay the children's school fees, now an Australian doesn't have that benefit."

In this report: Merv D'Arcy, Australian Meat Industry Council of Western Australia.

http://www.amieu.asn.au/pages.php?recid=81&hl=live%20exports

The Editor

Townsville Bulletin

Fax No. 4722 4559


Dear Editor,



As elected representative for the AMIEU members in Nth Queensland, I would like to make a couple of points concerning live cattle exports in Townsville.



Readers may be unaware that the number of cattle exported from the Port of Townsville has decreased enormously during the past 12 months. This has been caused by an increase in the value of the Australian dollar and also because of higher prices paid by Japan and the USA for our boxed beef.



Because meatworks have been receiving higher returns for their product they have been consistently outbidding live exporters for available cattle. This has seen a record kill at AMH Stuart and historically low live exports from Townsville Port.



Now is a good time to examine the impact of low levels of live export and high beef processing on the community in Townsville.



The season at AMH Stuart started on the same 840 per day kill as last year but was moved up to a 903 kill due to extra cattle being available which created more than 40 extra jobs at the meatworks. The company also worked on two public holidays, which has rarely happened in the past, and paid the workers at penalty rates for the extra production. These two extra production days meant more than $320,000 in wages was injected into the Townsville community.



Had live exports continued at the rate of previous years, this would not have been the case.



To be contiuned

Continued Letter from Union
After a longer season than was originally predicted the meatworks is now winding down and will probably be closed for at least 6 weeks. It will close because the meatworks cannot source any more stock. They are not closing because they are short of workers or orders to fill. They are closing because they can’t get cattle and it is a fact that they would have closed earlier if live exports had of continued this year at the same levels as last year.

To Be Contiuned.

The reduction in live export this year has definitely seen an increase in jobs and economic income for Townsville and needs to be acknowledged as a positive thing for the Townsville community.



Incidentally, remember how we were told the Asians could only buy their meat freshly slaughtered in 'wet markets'. We were told by graziers, live exporters and politicians that Asian countries had no refrigeration in their homes and shops so they could not accept frozen or chilled beef from Australia…only live cattle.



However it is interesting to note that although Australia is not sending many live cattle they haven't stopped eating meat in these countries. Now that Australian cattle are not available, they are eating frozen beef from South America and India. The fact that it isn't live doesn't seem to be a problem.



The real reason they imported our cattle live is so they could fatten, value-add and slaughter them over there and retain the by-products and jobs in their own countries.



Smart, aren't they?



Yours sincerely,



Russell Carr

Northern Branch Organiser

A.M.I.E.U.