Australian Politics Forum

Australian Politics Forum
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl Member Run Boards >> Finance and Economics >> Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1332459966 Message started by blackadder on Mar 23^rd, 2012 at 9:46am

Title: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by blackadder on Mar 23^rd, 2012 at 9:46am

Some of the largest unions in Australia are calling on the federal government to condemn the austerity measures in Greece.

In a statement on Friday, the unions slam the measures aimed at dragging the European country out of its economic crisis

The statement has been sponsored by ACTU president Ged Kearney, secretary of Unions NSW Mark Lennon, CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan and president of the Australian Education Union Angelo Gavrielatos

"We further call on the Australian government to support this position and to communicate it to the Greek government and the European Union," it says.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8440015

Australian unions taking on the world. And you wonder why unions are irrelevant.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by progressiveslol on Mar 23^rd, 2012 at 9:56am

I did not see the unions solution to the problem. It would seem to be irrelevant dribble by the unions.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by adelcrow on Mar 23^rd, 2012 at 10:27am

The Greeks were happy voting in gutless populist pollies and everyone in the country refused to pay taxes or give a toss about productivity so they only have themselves to blame for their situation.
I bet the Germans just love working like dogs just to prop up this bunch of lazy tax dodgers.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by hawil on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 1:10pm

adelcrow wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2012 at 10:27am:

The Greeks do very well in Australia, and some is through hard work, but a lot through bludging on others.
I had some very personal experience of that in my life time; take all the benefits the society provides and contribute very little towards it, but when all want to act in that way, any country has to go bust in the end.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by PoliticalPuppet on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 1:22pm

adelcrow wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2012 at 10:27am:

Its their fault the corrupt government got in debt to fraudsters?

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by Frances on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 1:35pm

I've always thought that the primary purpose of unions is to look after the affairs of their members. I'm afraid I can't see any justification for unions getting involved in the internal affairs of another country. Whether or not the measures being taken by the Greek government are impacting heavily on Greek workers (and chances are that they are) is really irrelevant to an Australian union, no matter how strongly they may feel about it. Unless they have a workable solution to offer to the parties concerned, they should just butt out of it.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by Uncle Meat on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 2:55pm

Frances wrote on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 1:35pm:

It's solidarity of workers worldwide.

Unions are concerned with workers' rights everywhere.

It's why there are organisations such as UNI Global Union.

http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/uni.nsf/pages/homepageEn

Australian Unions do great work overseas, as well as in Australia. The same goes for Unions in other countries.

http://strongerunions.org/2012/03/09/colombian-trade-unionist-freed-from-jail-says-see-you-got-me-out/

"In her first speech to supporters, Liliany paid tribute to the international campaign, which she credited with forcing the Colombian Government to let her out, and she urged us to redouble our efforts for all the other thousands of political prisoners still in jail."

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by Frances on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 3:38pm

Point taken. I hadn't thought of that side of the equationn, but I don't see that a western democracy taking austerity measures to try to extract themselves from a financial hole is in the same category as what is happening in places like Colombia, Myanmar and so on.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by Uncle Meat on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 3:48pm

Frances wrote on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 3:38pm:

True, they're quite different.

However, this is still a worrying situation for workers:

"In exchange for billions of dollars from eurozone countries, Greece is imposing harsh austerity measures during a fifth year of recession, slashing the minimum wage, pensions and benefits - including deep cuts in the health service."

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by Frances on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 4:03pm

Certainly a great deal of Australian union activism abroad would be justified and would quite often also get results. You only have to have a quick look at the activities of APHEDA to see that there is a great deal of good accomplished this way. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere, and I think getting involved in the financial reconstruction of Greece is on the wrong side of that line for the unions. We are not talking about sweatshops, repression or exploitation of workers in the case of Greece, we are talking about hardship across almost the whole of Greek society and rebuilding the country's economy.

Title: Re: Aust unions slam Greek austerity measures
Post by hawil on Jul 7^th, 2012 at 7:21pm

Uncle Meat wrote on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 2:55pm:

Frances wrote on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 1:35pm:

The Australian Union leaders are doing a great job for themselves; like the HSU, Cathy Jackson on $260,000 a year and Willaimson on $330,000 a year.
On top of that most have their eyes set on a parliamentary seat.
I was a Union member for over 30 years, but the leadership of most of the unions leaves a lot to be desired.