Severin

I agree with you on the need for unions, after all, the bosses all have their own, so why would employees not have them and be in them?

I spent many years as a union organiser and industrial officer, and remain supportive of the concept.

However, I also noted a very 'small business' mentality amongst some of them that prevented open discussion within, and imaginative responses to issues without.

From what I can tell of the Belly union members he 'services', they could do with a 'hand over' of power from the union to them.

As in our 'other thread', where the church structure holds on to all power and treats its membership as fools, to a greater or lesser degree, so too do some unions.

In most workplaces there is someone capable of understanding how to create a strategy, once a few basic pointers have been given, and they know there is a full back-up system at union GHQ to call on if/when needed.

The Rudd experience in Qld during his Goss years was not a happy one at all. I was working in it as a union organiser at the time, and the public sector, albeit a very passive and National Party dominated one, was deserving of a shake up, but Rudd's efforts marked the end of 'public service' and the beginning of 'corporate identity' where the public servants role become one of hiding information from clients and protecting the governments they served.

We was dudded... in short, as we are being now.

Frankly, I have little sympathy for his staff if they feel bullied, and keep hanging around and doing nothing about the situation, but mostly they would be career hopping, all too frequently into a green or red seat, so they remain mute in the hope of 'things to come'.

Maybe Rudd is like Belly, and refuses to delegate? Or doesn't trust enough to delegate?

Or maybe Rudd is just very poor at explaining what he wants done

TBC

I really appreciate your insight on Rudd and the 'bad boss' syndrome. I think you understand I can differentiate between someone who is hard and someone who is an abuser. Thank you.

I spent many years not being believed about anything I said - this furthered the damage.

The experience also has made me very sceptical of any power structure, particularly religious institutions as you have noted. Until 9/11 I was quietly atheist, but not any more. I loathe any type of manipulation and exploitation. In Rudd's case I imagine the salary levels his staff are on compensate a lot - and they would find it easy just to transfer if the 'kitchen' became too hot. It is the lower ranked workers, who are under just as much (if not more) stress, receive far less renumeration and less respect. Frankly, I consider Shadow Minister, the originator of this topic, merely wishing to denigrate Rudd than constructively look at workplace inequities and issues.

TBC
You describe exactly what it is like in the Commonwealth Public Service. It is too easy to heap it at Rudd's door alone, the problem is rife and across various levels with bullying and intimidation, scapegoating and whitewashing de rigeur.

Staffing cuts exacerbate the problem - not enough people to do the work, mistakes being covered up, bullying increases while career bureaucrats navigate to protect their patch and their careers. It is not a pretty sight.

Severin
It is awful you had to endure that experience. I can only add, I know the frustration and sometimes despair that can go with being up against the dead end brick wall of bureaucracy. Like most people, I have little time for bullies and control freaks.

My once only dealing with the CPSU was disappointing - they failed to investigage 'behind' what was told them. In the end I went it alone. It wasn't until intervention from an external agency and an FOI request (initially denied) that the information supplied by the department in question was found to be bogus.

I left that department (the perpetrators nearly always stay or are protected by the hierarchy that by association are also culpable). At least the complaint led to some positive changes in terms of accountablility.

The fact is the complainant is always perceived with scepticism regardless of the veracity of the complaint. I can understand why some might breach the Codes of Conduct or a security clearance to leak information to the press - the repercussions are too great so most don't take that step.

Thankfully now I have left the Commonwealth Public Service with no plans to ever return unless poverty drives me to it ...nah not even for that. :)

Like TBC, I have great respect for unions and the rights for employees to be represented in the same way that Business Councils and Chambers of Commerce support employer groups - they just need to be a bit more tenacious and member oriented.

Pelican

<< Staffing cuts exacerbate the problem - not enough people to do the work, mistakes being covered up, bullying increases while career bureaucrats navigate to protect their patch and their careers. It is not a pretty sight. >>

I was in the Victorian Public Service when Kennett took over and implemented his 'corporatisation' of the Public Service. Many good managers were lost and the ones remaining virtually created work to justify their positions (many wheels were reinvented) - sometimes I would think of piranha feeding frenzies. Also the level of sycophants rose considerably; too few staff, no-one to take over if you went on leave, Kennett banned all pay raises for people who were union members - for three years my salary did not change. And people who were retrenched were rehired on massive contracts earning far more than when they were permanent. People who tried to support me had their own careers stymied and had to seek transfers. I still keep in contact with some colleagues, two of whom have managed to remain and others who also resigned.

I am poor and I will never return. At least I can still string a couple of words together (they haven't taken that away from me), but my ability to cope with stress, which used to be excellent, is virtually zero now. I simply grind to a halt - my mind goes blank.

There are too many people whose lives and contributions to the workforce have been literally wasted.

Do I talk rot? I don't think so. Every time I had to work in the office It was one big bludge. Other people around me were stressing out big time & I had my work done. The union even chastised me for working that fast. The Office Manager was always going through my work looking for mistakes & never finding any. The office was one big gossip pool. No one took responsibility for anything in case they could get called upon to explain. Everything they did took so long. It took days to get anything signed, even if the person who had to sign it was on the desk. The biggest bitch was the paper in the photocopier. What's so hard about just putting some paper in the damm thing if it's empty. Even the male clerks were like little girls, always crying about something.
Any time anyone from the floor was rostered to do a month in the office they celebrated. Extra money for nothing & 36.5 hours instead of 40. It was like winning Lotto.
Office workers produce nothing tangible, only problems.

TBC I had no intention of feeding you, of coming back to this thread.
But your offensive lack of understanding must not go unchallenged.
I am union ,till death, I must be many things, the one who says to a boss the words his members must not.
You are unaware of country workers, they will welcome you, drink with you after work, ring you, but not take up the role of delegates.
Refuse to delegate?
I am faced with a 3 day lock up, to save if I can 70 jobs, maybe 90,few members want that job.
But none do not trust me to do my best.
I run my own news letters for each industry I cover.
Ask two things of my members tell me the truth not what they think I want to hear.
And understand they know their jobs better than I ever can.
TBC no doubt you believe your extremist stuff, I have served My union and others for a very long time, claim no halo for me or most but if my members trust me?
I am happy.
Leave you too it bloke, not walking away but have no time for any extremism.
The worst ever AWU official is a better man than you.