ttbn, a story to illustrate my point about workers and your ridiculous claim that they;

"are not all that bright, and they are not much good at their jobs"

Many years back when I was working in a production industry, we were on strike. The management decided to "call in the army" in this case the non union management and staff. Well what a joke, the Production manager could not start the production machines, the maintenance manager was useless at setting the packing machines etc. They were relying on 1st and 2nd year apprentices to show them how its done! The rest of the motley crew, office staff, accountants and dolly birds were useless. They would have been better off calling in the trope of clowns from 'Wirth's Circus'grease paint and all than the mob they had.
When the strike was over, it took the dumb workers the best part of a day just to undo the damage they had done. A ball of laughs

Paul,

The legal age to do work in NSW is 14 yrs and 9 months. And minimum casual rates for these teens is a fraction of those for adults, so I guess that there is still child exploitation throughout the nation.

In the days when your forefathers dragged their knuckles and ran the country into the ground, many people couldn't get work and those that could had to bribe the union officials. But I am glad that you admit that retail should be de unionised due to incompetence.

Paul.....Butch, I am happy with the holiday arrangements as they are now, see no need for change.

So what you are saying is that the bosses just have to wear the additional costs associated with the extra day.

Obviously you would not feel the same if the shoe were on the other foot now would you.

I wonder when the queen dies whether we will dump the queens birthday holiday. Do you think we should, or should we somehow invent another?

Perhaps this is one holiday we can dump in the event we have a reapeat of this previous year where Xmas day fell on a trading day given we are now a seven day society. After all, if you want a fair go, you must also give a fair go.

Shadow. like Butch you want to create your own industrial laws.

"The legal age to do work in NSW is 14 yrs and 9 months."

wrong! wrong! wrong! You are making it up as you go!

From the Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman web site

New South Wales

There’s no age set for when you can start work.

For further information, contact the NSW Office of Industrial Relations external-icon.png or call 13 16 28.

http://www.fairwork.gov.au/find-help-for/young-workers-and-students/what-age-can-i-start-work

Yes, there are Uncle Tom's in the union movement, the SDA being one, what the kids need is some real representation, they need the CFMEU looking after them. Agree?

Hassy, I have never had a holiday for April 21st the Queens Birthday. have you? We should have a holiday on July 11th and call it Gough Day, more appropriate to celebrate a great Australian than something English, don't you agree?

Butch, I hope you did the right thing this Xmas and gave all your workers, to whom you owe so much, a decent Xmas box, $1000 each would have been good for starters, anything less would have been an insult. I hope you didn't just throw a few stale snags on the BBQ in the car park and yell "help yourself lads!" as you drove off in the new Mercedes!

Paul, "should have a holiday on July 11th and call it Gough Day, more appropriate to celebrate a great Australian" RATBAG.

There you are mate, fixed it for you.

No, actually Paul i gave them the ultimate gift, i didnt sack them.

You see many small businesses took a large hit this time around, due to the relentless ongoing attack from the chains as they continue their unchecked path of total domination.

The sold hams at about $2 per kilo below production costs, turkeys as well and of cause none of this would be possible without the support from the consumer. Not that i am too worried because like many, i dont really need too many staff, i just choose to have them and they are a great crew happy in the knowledge they have a boss who cares about them.

Of cause this may well change in a month or so, but lets not put the cart in front of the horse, not just yet anyway. I fear this year will be hard on many small to medium businesses though as the goverments appear disinterested in their quest for monopolisation. They (governments) are all talk no action.

I hipe im wrong but i think we may see wages and conditions crash this year coming back to where they should be realy, as where they are now has come about from a shortage of workers, whereas now, we have a shortage of jobs.