Unions

[Behind enemy lines]

I was at work last night and started asking people if we had a union. Ofcourse I knew the answer to this, others, well, they thought they knew.
Most staff here at the Warehouse (A NZ and Australian regime, similar to that infectious disease in the states,Wallmart) knew nothing of our 'fighting' union.

Appalled by this I started talking to my fellow workmate about this and he suggested I bring the union in here.

After planning our future strike:) he came back telling me what would probably happen.
We would pay around $4 each week to have a union guy come in every year(hopefully) and do nothing, after all we don't get payed minimum wage and we get a discount. There's nothing to fight for. I mean the warehouse managment meet inflation(or so they say) every year.

I HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!

Thats better

I know all unions aren't bad, But what is to be done in this case. I can't see anyway to piss managment off anymore and help workers situation (eg, pay,saftey, etc). I would help start a 'real' union here, but I can't see any advantages.
I found out we do have a union, part of the company though:(


What is to be done comrades????

[Ian]

Don't join it comrade, It's probably just a puppet group of lackeys who sit their talking about productivity and the like...

Does this warehouse place sell earphones, I think I bought a pair from one.

I'm in Sydney by the way.

[nz revolution]

You shouyld work within even the most reactioanry trade unions and blah blah blah. Remeber Mats rant about Lenin saying he should go get pissed at the pub?

Get the union in and tell them what you want and you wont put up with any bureaucratic crap. ANd they can not appease the bosses.

$4 might be worth it if you can cause Havoc

[Behind enemy lines]

I think they have it in sydney, but under a different name. I think they might be yellow buildings.

Matt cracks me up.
.....must find excuse to get pissed.......ahhhh....Lenin said...blahblah....

Do you think they will even fight for workers rights?

I am looking for a new job cos it's boring there, but i'll stay if I can cause some shit.

[MJM]

Start your own union comrades.

http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/gpacts...000/an/024.html (http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/gpacts/public/text/2000/an/024.html)

Employment relations act. (NZ)

Let me know if you want any help or feedback on this issue.

[Blackberry]

Quote: from MJM on 8:51 am on Dec. 19, 2002
Start your own union comrades.

http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/gpacts...000/an/024.html (http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/gpacts/public/text/2000/an/024.html)

Employment relations act. (NZ)

Let me know if you want any help or feedback on this issue.

Seconded.

And make sure there is no hierarchal structure. A union with a bureaucracy is as good as a corporation.

[RGacky3]

unless the union is really strong, the company can just fire every one and re-hire, if you want to start a union make sure its strong and in some cases militant. Unions are good, but when joining one you have to be carefull, and when making one you have to be even more carefull.

[Behind enemy lines]

Ok, so it would be better to start a union, yes?
Starting a union sounds like a big comitment. Very hard. Is it realistic comrades?

[Exploited Class]

Quote: from Behind enemy lines on 9:49 am on Dec. 20, 2002
Ok, so it would be better to start a union, yes?
Starting a union sounds like a big comitment. Very hard. Is it realistic comrades?


Is it realistic? No! Nobody has ever started a union before, it can't be done.

If you know that line is bullshit, then you know it is possible. Its plausible and it realistic.

What is not realistic is that it would be easy, safe and nothing bad can come of it. That is unreaistic.

Unions have a way of taking power away from the people that run the company, and that is something they do not like. People, scabs, will cross solidarity movements for their own personal short sighted gains. There is nothing worse in this world than scabs, they will break a strike against the power's that be, faster than the power's that be could ever do through negotations and intimidation. Pukes, they don't get it that the term scab is not one of endearment, and is to reflect what we all hate.

I have been trying to get a union where I work now for the past 1.5 years. I have been threatened, exiled from pro-company puke employees and managment. The let's not make wave pussies and the I just want a job assholes. All of them must have been beaten as a child and love abuse from above.

Its a war when starting a union, with managment and co-workers. It isn't easy and it is a lot of hard work and sneaky tactics. I paid 4 unemployed people from my pocket to paper the windshields of workers cars with pro-union flyers. I have had to make a secret pact with 6 other works, 2 of which have been fired, to get materials in and dump flyers in the lunch room, bathrooms and halls. Now we have security cameras, but we have an inside security guard helping us. It is a lot of work.

[deimos]

ec, you are very brave. We have already unions her in europe. But the problem, is, that most companies are in 2 or even more european states, but our european unions don't coordinate their action against the companies.
There are not many actions in austria, but in germany they strike almost everyday anywhere ......

[El Che]

God bless unions and good labor laws.

[MJM]

Go to this section on the site I posted the link to. All the infomation should be there for you to see what it will take.

4: Recognition and operation of unions
12 Object of this Part
13 Application by society to register as union
14 When society entitled to be registered as union
15 Registration of society as union
16 Annual return of members
17 Cancellation of union's registration
18 Union entitled to represent members' interests
19 Workplace does not include dwellinghouse
20 Access to workplaces
21 Conditions relating to access to workplaces
22 When access to workplaces may be denied
23 When access to workplaces may be denied on religious grounds
24 Issue of certificate of exemption
25 Penalty for certain acts in relation to entering workplace
26 Union meetings
27 Registrar of Unions
28 Registrar of Unions may seek directions of Authority
29 Persons who have standing in proceedings relating to unions
30 Offence to mislead Registrar

<><><><><><>
Part 4

Recognition and operation of unions

12 Object of this Part
The object of this Part is---

(a) to recognise the role of unions in promoting their members'
collective employment interests; and

(B) to provide for the registration of unions that are accountable to
their members; and

&copy; to confer on registered unions the right to represent their members
in collective bargaining; and

(d) to provide representatives of registered unions with reasonable
access to workplaces for purposes related to employment and union business.

[Exploited Class]

Quote: from deimos on 10:04 pm on Dec. 20, 2002
ec, you are very brave. We have already unions her in europe. But the problem, is, that most companies are in 2 or even more european states, but our european unions don't coordinate their action against the companies.
There are not many actions in austria, but in germany they strike almost everyday anywhere ......


We have unions here in the United States too, they are just really weak. They have been weakened since about 33 or so? Isn't that the last pro-union law passed in America? I have to look at my book, Chomsky mentions it however as the last victory for unions in the united states. Reagan broke the union strike of the Airline Tower workers, which made all unions weaker knowing the President could do that. Then Bush recently broke the longshoremen's union on the west coast.

In America strikes are pretty important things, people only do it for really serious reasons, for the most part. Because it is so hard to get people to strike and risk their jobs. Also the media makes them out to be rebels who hate authority, Chomasky also gave some detail on that as well. Also people don't like conflict, they try to avoid it, we are pretty pasifistic people when we are worked 40 + hours a week. So strikes are rare, important strikes get broken by the President. Strikes of unskilled workers fail when we have high unemployment because they can easily find a scab that just ran out of unemployment last week.