Responses to the questions from Discussion Starter 3: Changes at work and the impact of globalisation.

(C. Nebauer - (Convenor) - 1. Macfarlane, V. Mueller, A. Rowlands, N. Charles, G. Sanders)

First, it should be noted that because only two members of our group are currently in a position to respond subjectively to questions related to work practices and unions etc., their responses are indicated by 'A' and 'B'.

Changes at work:

1. (A) "I know people who have lost their jobs or who have become temporary employees. Their lives have been affected negatively by loss of income, less job security, increased stress and loss of self-respect."
2. (A) "I also know people who have been retrenched or whose jobs have been outsourced - with consequences similar to response 1 above. One of the group of companies I work for was closed, the others continue as usual in the mining industry."
3. (A) "One way of advancing job security and solidarity is a fair wage award system, with a properly and fairly administered union structure." (The group also felt strongly that in addition, it was essential that as much priority should be given to ensuring workers' protection and wage structure, as vigorously as employers give to profit making).
4. (A & the group) There was little doubt at present that the benefits of increased productivity and company cost savings are going to the companies, their CEOs and their share-holders.

1. (A) "Our workforce was offered an enterprise bargaining package which was rejected by 90% of my colleagues and myself, as it was not in our interest to accept the extension of our shifts from 8 hours to 12 hours. There has since been no change to our wages or working conditions."
2. (A) "The hierarchy of 'my' union (MWU) appears to have been in favour of the principle of enterprise agreements, but I am not sure why, as I have rarely heard any comment in the workplace regarding their being of long-term benefit to the workers."
3. (A & group) "Organise the un-organised!" In other words, establish or re-establish a proper system of arbitration that balances employer needs and demands for profit alongside fair remuneration and conditions for fair days work.
4. (A) "Our workforce was offered individual contracts that were signed by one or two workers, but with the majority rejecting the offer. Tensions surfaced and a breakdown in workplace cohesion occurred as a result."
5. (A) "Until recently I and others who I know, received only the safety-net increases. This had the effect of keeping our wages low and making the support of families very difficult."

1. (A) "I am currently a member of a union that has been able to offer increased wages and better working conditions. However, I am concerned that union officials could be more effective by offering greater and more regular contact with members, keeping them informed of changes that affect them."
   (B) "I am a member of the 'Health and Community Services Union', and in comparison to A's comment here, my experience is that the Union office staff are enormously helpful to members, and structures exist to empower members, for example: delegate and members' union training days on full pay, and regular workplace visits by Union office staff, regular union news bulletins posted to members and easy communication to and from union office by telephone. 'My' union, HACSU, recently negotiated with the Tasmanian Government to achieve a 9.5% wage rise over the next 2 years, for all staff covered by this award.
2. A&B, both current union members, and both delegates in their respective unions, another group member is a self-employed organic farmer, and two other group members are retired from the Public Service and still 'one the books' of their professional unions.
3. (A) "It can do no harm to focus on developing strategies to attract women and young workers to membership, but others should not be forgotten. A possible way of achieving higher levels of membership and participation is to make people aware of what unions have to offer and what they stand for.

Impact on the Community:

Much group comment on this section is contained in the individual papers accompanying this response.

1. (A) "Workplace changes have affected myself and others I know in a variety of ways - among the most obvious are: decreased choice of jobs, decreased amount of time and money available to spend on leisure and recreation, and the loss of people from my own community as they move in search of work."
2. (A) "Unions can increase their appeal to casuals and part-time workers by making sure they understand what the union is able to do for them. If valid and practical reasons are demonstrated, joining a union can lead to the achieving of better conditions, higher wages and increased job security. This would result hopefully in helping to equalise incomes."
   (B) "Regular visits to workplaces (where employers have no objection) could encourage casual/part-time or temporary workers to voice complaints. For example, a local pizza chain outlet lacked functioning air-conditioners during hot summer weather. This caused staff, particularly those working near the pizza ovens, to be excessively hot. The staff were all young (teens and early twenties), and reluctant to complain about their working conditions for fear of not obtaining shifts when rosters were decided by management and owners. (Group) Many employers in all kinds of situations hesitate to complain to management for fear of job loss or replacement.
3. (A) "Support for local companies and industry wherever possible would help to retain current jobs, provided that each company has a social policy that is equitable and that there is a willingness to share the rewards of success with employees. Government legislation guaranteeing the retention of profits in Australia would not hurt either."
   (Group) It was felt that the Federal Coalition government had failed to react positively to the opportunities offered by conversion to digital television and the availability of spectrum to allow service industries to move profitably into datacasting - in its defense of the two powerful media barons (Packer & Murdoch).
4. (A) "A fairer distribution of income would be achieved by: (a) reining in the obscene salaries and salary packages of company executives and senior management; (b) introducing legislation aimed at protecting the workforce's entitlements in the event of a company's collapse."
5. (A) "I believe that stronger national policies linking workers' rights and industry development would assist in helping to achieve income parity." (Group) Rewarding workers realistically according to merit and/or terms of profitability or business success, would offer positive support in the direction envisaged.

1. (A) "Globalisation has seen increased competition in the market place for 'my' mining company's products, which has produced lower income, decreased profits and the reduction of our workforce."
   (Group) Home life has been affected by reduced social services because governments (state & federal) appear to be more responsive to the needs of big companies and less concerned with the needs of society.

   Downsizing of research, archives and library staff at the ABC, and the loss of good investigative programs like 'Quantum' (ABC TV) has resulted in cost saving, but at a time when much money is directed to excessively high salaries of management. Funding cap imposed on ABC by Howard's government has resulted in the decrease of Australian program content in both TV and radio. In general the independence of the ABC is under attack.

2. (A) "I see Question 1 in this section as being linked to Question 2. One effect on my home life has come from the local reduction in services traditionally offered by banks."
3. Every member of the group was confused by the actual basis of this question. It appeared that the allusion to 'racism' could have been with Aboriginal responses to the impact of globalisation and economic rationalisation OR with Australian attitudes to other cultures and their products (?).
4. (A) "Unions can promote workers' rights and working conditions in other countries through the use of political contacts and pressure on governments of offending countries through the 'International Labour Organisation'".
   (Group) Practical demonstrations of solidarity, for example the waterside workers union's refusal to load or unload 'objectionable' cargoes, or express sympathy for abused ship's crews working in sub-standard conditions, would seem to impact effectively on national and international opinion.

1. (A) "The industry in which I work (mining) is contracting due to the fact that less money is being invested in mineral exploration in Tasmania."
2. (A) "There are government policies regarding my area of employment. Two illustrations of those policies appear to be:
   1. Financial support from public funds for struggling companies is commonplace, but
   2. It is suggested that more incentives for environmental research (into the residual effects of mining) occur."
3. (Group) Imports should be banned if it can be proved that child labour or human rights' abuses have been allowed during production of goods.
4. (A&B) "I would like to see governments adopt a more nationalistic stand with regard to globalisation, and put the needs and desires of citizens (democracy, human rights and rule of law) before the needs and desires of multi-nationals (increased power and wealth)."

Our vision also included the importance of the increased involvement of the 'International Labour Organisation' in trying to establish a better nexus between employers and workers in establishing greater awareness of each other's needs. Of balancing decision-making so that neither side could be accused of unfairness, discrimination or 'heavy' tactics.

Attention was drawn briefly to the section in 'Australia at Work - Just Managing' (pp 1168-69) that touched upon portability and pooling arrangements for workers. This is an idea that all workers should be put in a nationwide employment pool that 'leased' workers to employers on the basis of need.

Addendum:

• Three additional papers are included by individual group members, as a further contribution.
• It was felt that while the information made available with the discussion starter number 3 was valuable and useful, the questions did not have a similar value. The questions were not generally relevant for all members, as out of 26 questions, 15 appeared to require responses from people in the current workforce. Only 2 of our members are in that position, and other members felt obliged to submit individual papers giving greater breadth to our response in total.