Paul,

I have never been in a position where a union had any influence over what I earned and was in a senior position by 27. I haven't taken a cent in welfare and have paid more in taxes than a score of union bludgers and real parasites who wouldn't know real work if it bit them on the arse.

The unions work for losers and suck the blood of the real working man.

Shadow, you fail to recognise, or don't want to recognise, the struggles of the past by workers, trade unionists, to win the pay and conditions most people such as yourself enjoy today. You seem to think that some ultra benevolent employer bestowed all those goodies on to you wonders and super valuable employee from the kindness of his heart. You are simply wrong.

BTW, I don't always get overly into personal details on this public forum, believe what you like, but that case 5 days work for 3 days pay, that was my stepdaughter. She didn't tell us her pay was cut to $1500/fortnight until she said she had a job interview, and I asked why she was leaving her old job. She is very competent in the work she does, and at first there was a downturn in shipping because of covid, but lately things in Queensland have picked up. Then when he boss (a family owned business) said; They're cutting Jobkeeper and it looks like you'll be on 2 days a week, enough was enough for her. Her first job interview was offering $60k, what she ha been on at her old job, but they wanted her to also do "call-ins" only 10 minutes from home, but with 2 teenage children at school she was not keen, and asked for $70k, which they didn't want to pay. At her second job interview she got the job, and its also close to home, about 10 minutes drive, and she's happy with the pay and conditions. My stepdaughter is a very hard worker, in her old job she would often log in at home and do unpaid work online.

another good topic.

given Aust's looming economic difficulties in a world of many free trade deals, it remains to be seen what happens to the wages of people.

Paul,

You still don't get it. At the level I work, no union has ever had influence. I develop systems and run projects that earn my employers $ms more than they would have expected if they hired someone less competent and as a result often get bonuses greater than many peoples' salary.

I haven't had to apply for a job for decades because I get head hunted and the last time put my name out on Seek when a contract was coming to an end, I was offered a job within 2 hours.

I am presently halfway through a 4 yr overseas contract to help turn a company around and they have started posting profits of $20m p.a.

I'm smart and work hard, and I owe my success to no one and especially no dumb arse union thugs.

Paul,

If you're telling the truth, then I wish your stepdaughter well, however, given your mendacious history I view it with some scepticism.

I have a friend in Melbourne who is the business manager for a company that is essentially shut down due to Covid Dan and is now working on Jobkeeper for 2 days a week to keep the business alive and thanks to Dipsht Dan is in no position to find a new job.

Your stepdaughter should thank her lucky stars that she isn't working in Danistan.

shadowminister,

I think some, like you, will always make it.

But what r your views of the wages of the low-skilled? Should we make sure they are reasonable, as set by FWC and efforts of some unions, or should we scale them down say like the USA?