Always handy to play the victim card. It would be a bit novel to take up a few responsibilities and contribute to your workplace and country instead of trying to bleed it. This discrimination cry has gone beyond a joke. Grow up a bit and stop thinking the world owes you a living.

AS I note the difference in further posts from you here.
Lets ignore runner that is not worth the time.
Foxy is spot on.
Now reality screams at me to tell you that fight is on, it always has/will be.
But mate you will not like it, many do not like me for it, but extremism and radicals, lie,ers and fraudsters have long ago hurt union brand name

The lights on the hill are no longer a kero lamp, wages and conditions are so good many, far too many, workers take the gains without being part of unions.
The fight for equality began in this country a union fight before you and I where born.
The future fight is going to be forever.
Unions of old could not survive in todays world.
Once just seeing your official by the roadside or on the farm, on the docks or in a factory was enough.
Now workers often take no interest in unions, not because they are not radical, but because they believe they are too radical.
One day if it is possible I may tell the truth about extremist damage done to the brand name union.

Foxy
In this thread we speak for the discrimination in workplaces and how Americans solved this problem. Do you mean that there is no discrimination against women, against migrants, against muslims, against asians, against aged people, against unionists, against homosexuals, against aborigines, against diseble people in workplaces?
Belly
" wages and conditions are so good many, far too many, workers take the gains without being part of unions." If I did know that you are a unionist I will think that you are a top officcer from employer's association! As unionist do you try to write more members or to leave the union. If there are many unionists like you then I know why the union movement is so weak and become weaker.
LASTS YEARS WE HAD A TREMENDOUS ATTACK ON WORKING CONDITIONS FROM THE FROM THE HOWARD GOVERNMENT AND OUR PROBLEMS BECOME EVEN WORST OF CAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRISIS.
Foxy and Belly you are out of touch from the working conditions in Australia.
As you can understand I am with blue colars, women, migrants, labors from religious minorities, aged plabors, unionists, homosexuals, aborigines or disable people.
I AM WITH THE VICTIMS FROM DISCRIMINATION IN WORKPLACES!

runner
I say that American democrats and some republicans found the best solution to fight discrimination in workplaces, let's copy them!

Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Dear Antonios,

Each of us can only speak from our own
experiences. And, I've told you about my
working experiences in both the United
States and in this country - as far as
working conditions and benefits go.
There's no comparison. Even Americans
that come and work in this country admit
how good it is here.

Discrimination exists in every country.
In this country there are laws in place.
However - discrimination has to be proven.
It isn't enough to generalise and use sweeping
statements - you have to have concrete evidence,
and a solid case,
before anything can be done.

The difference between the USA and Australia is how Australians lack the ability to instruct their elected representatives.

Indeed in the USA they can even sack them ;-)

Citizen initiated instruction is desirable, indeed IMHO an essential requirement, in order for government to be fully democratic.

Citizen Initiated legislation/referenda are possible in the USA.

Australia's constitution appears to enable this, yet we find great reluctance amongst our representives, our legislators, to accept the supremacy of the people of Australia.

Our legislators are autocrats fearful of losing their current dominance of our legislative process.

The presence of such accountability process in USA is why it rarely is used, for their legislatures and executives prefer avoid outside instruction so become more democratic, more responsive, to views of their citizens.

As such process slow to ensure significant electorate involvement, also giving politicians time to satisfy their electorates. Result is the need to complete usage of the process is reduced.

Re unions.

Union movements do better when addressing issues of interest in the wider community with benefits to more than just their members.

Here our union movements generate their wider moral authority, which they lose often when pursuing their smaller interests.

Issue for union movements is not whether possess power, rather whether their arguments hold moral strength amongst wider community.

Strength is greater when the interests are wider.

.

Foxy,
you send three posts on this thread and you did not understand that I say we must change the Australian law because it does protect the victims from discrimination in workplaces.
Our law "within 6 months" from the day the discrimination occurred is good for employers who victimize their employees but BUT NOT GOOD FOR THE VICTIMS OF ANY KIND OF DISCRIMINATION IN WORKPLACES.
When the American Supreme Court ruled that she should have filed her suit within 180 days of the date that Goodyear first paid her less than her peers" what exactly happened in Australia ," within 6 months" women organizations, trade unionists, migrant organizations, progresive politicians from democratic and republican party fought and change the law, from now in America will have "within 6 months from the last payment". That means employers are responsible for ALL THEIR ACTS AND NOT ONLY FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS, THAT MEANS EMPLOYEES CAN CLAIM THEIR RIGHTS FROM THE FIRST DAY THEY EMPLOYEED AND NOT ONLY FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS.
Foxy
Do not tell to me "In this country there are laws in place." I know that! I say to you that THAE LAW ABOUT DISCRIMINATION IN AUSTRALIA IS UNEXEPTABLE and we should change it as the Americans did. I write simple things.

polpak
"Strength is greater when the interests are wider" I agree with you. But you did not write anything about my suggestion to change the law about discrimination in workplaces. I supposed you agree but I prefer it very clear I like the people who are ready to fight for their ideas. Are you?
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide