Dear Antiseptic,

If you're really interested in statistics -
why not google ABS on union memberships?
Or call the Reference Department of your
National Library or the ABS Library in your
region - for the current figures.

But I think you're just having a go at Belly
aren't you? It's 'quid pro quo' for his comment
about respecting women, and all that.

Never mind - statistics on their own usually
don't mean that much anyway unless they're looked
at with other considerations, in context.

The following website may be of interest though -
(just by way of general information) - on what
mining unions are trying to achieve:

www.awu.net.au/40_5.html

My apologies Poirot - for getting off topic here.

Ostensibly yes but by intention no.

My posts to women tend to be politer more sensitive simply because their questions, style, manners, requirements tend to be that way.

Most male respondents tend to be well, not quite so or just plain combative and thus I respond more so.

As a preference I prefer the responding to the lesser combative style. Simply because it generally opens up more useful discussion.

Like it or not Men are different from women and viva la difference.
NB notwithstanding, I treat everyone *as they treat me or as I believe the need requires*, regardless of gender.

writing is informed by the life experience of the author.
all life experience is either male life experience or female life experience.
writing unidentified as either male or female defaults to the status quo,
occupied exclusively by men when men boss over women at law as in Australia.
failure to distinguish a female author's gender supports the status quo.
both men and women who decline to distinguish the gender of a female author
maintain the status of women as second class citizens.
Poirot is perfectly correct in preferring her gender to be known.

Oh Foxy, you're so cute when you get all bolshie solidarity 'n stuff.

The Unions have always had a fine line in rhetoric, but the performance has all too often been below par. As I said, respect is earnt.

Howard got the abortion that was Work Choices up because the Unions had lost the support of workers. It has been revoked not because of a worker-led revolt, but because of the self-interest of Labor politicians who draw their backing from wealthy Unions.

I am the first to point out that workers can only prosper in a capitalist world by collective bargaining. It is tragic that the organisations charged with the responsibility for representing workers in that process have proven so inadequate.

Dear Antiseptic,

Me cute?

Nah, dazzling, striking, gorgeous,
are a better fit!

Cute is for petite people.

I'm too tall and lanky - as I've said
on other posts. But Thanks anyway (I think)...

As for 'collective bargaining' - isn't that
what unions do on behalf of workers?

ALIA - Australian Library and Information Association
is not a union unfortunately - and is about as useful
to the library profession as the Architects Association.
Both are merely "Clubs," where the elite continue to
pat each other on the back - and give each other awards -
while the rest of their members struggle for their
rights professionally.

I'm a member of a union as I've said before, but I've
never been put in a position where I've had to go on
strike. And, although I'm sometimes frustrated when
the union does its job badly. I support without
reservation the right of all working people to join
together so as to preserve and protect their livelihoods.

But again - here I am de-railing Poirot's thread.

Let's stick to the subject in future -
Ok, handsome?

Woman debate only when they are right.

Men debate only to try and prove someone else wrong.

Men are always on the losing team.