Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

Now this stoush between Alan Curran and Karen Stephenson is getting really interesting, and illustrates a point I'd like to make about the balance of the system. Before I weigh in, what business do you run Alan Curran and what, if any, Union do you belong to, Karen Stephenson?

Scott Brown, no I am not salivating at the IR changes, they do not bother me one way or another. I am the boss and my workers know that. I treat them well and they know that if they do not do their job properly they are out the door. I think that is fair as I take all the risks.

As for Labor's chances at the next election, in the unlikely event that they win it will be the workers who will lose. Remember last time they were in government we had high interest rates, high unemployment and high inflation. Who do think will suffer under Labor - only the workers.

As for crashing back to the 1800's, where the employer ruled and employees were nothing more than chattels, that’s bullshit. Methinks you have been reading Combet’s Newsletters.

Alan Curran to say "last time [Labor] were in government we had high interest rates, high unemployment and high inflation" is pretty vacuous if you're trying to defend the Liberal National Coalition. If you recall, you're talking about a Labor government who took over from Liberals who presided over higher interest rates, unemployment, and inflation. Three things Labor progressively reduced throughout their term in office. The Libs have ridden the crest of that wave, but the last few inflation and interest rate movements have been upwards.

Malcolm, I run a business that services computers. I employ 45 people whose ages range from 17 – 68, of which only three of the workers are members of a union.

They are members of the union because they work outside and have to visit sites that demand they carry the card, otherwise they would not be members.

We do not bother with “awards” as such, as I need people I can trust so I pay them all very well. I also provide them with things like free meals and pay for some of them to attend special courses. One of my young women is in the USA at the moment for five weeks.

I have just bought and paid for a return airfare to the UK, so that one of my technicians can visit his sick father. (I do hope this is not against union rules).

For Karen’s information the last time a union official was on our premises (12 months ago) he was treated like a leper and shown the door by the staff.

Margo: Hi Alan. Do you do work for individuals as well as businesses - um, I suppose I'm a small business now! - and if so do you operate in Canberra where I live?

Hi Margo. I only operate in Sydney. I would not touch Canberra with a barge pole, unless the Labor Party asked me to re-program Big Kim. However I think the lot of them have been struck with a virus.

Margo: Hi Alan. Something bad sure happened to big John Stanhope's website recently. Big of heart, I meant - he's my October/November hero this year. Do your people run their eyes over websites to ensure they've got maximum security protection? I'm not paranoid or anything, but Webdiary's permanent site is nearly ready and, well...

Alan Curran: "As for crashing back to the 1800's, where the employer ruled and employees were nothing more than chattels, that’s bullshit. Methinks you have been reading Combet’s Newsletters."

Hmmm, methinks you have fallen hook, line and sinker for the government's propaganda.

Hi Margo. You are quite right to be worried about the security on your website. However this is outside my field. There are firms out there who specialise in that sort of security - just one hack on your site can ruin your whole day.

I will make some enquiries, but I should imagine that in Canberra there is a company that specialises in this. I would imagine the government depts. are well covered. From what I know websites are very vulnerable as they are open 24/7 and port 80 is always open and that is a big problem.

Take care.

Margo: Hi Alan. I've got a top team of volunteer techies building the site, but would appreciate security help from an established Webdiarist with expertise in the area.

Allan, congratulations to you for being an understanding and sensible manager who values his staff and contributes to their skills growth because ultimately it contributes to your business' security and that of your staff. If all business owners were like you, it is true there would be no need for unions. However you are a rare breed indeed. Please don't take this as sarcasm, I truly do congratulate you. Most business owners and managers are too short sighted to see those benefits and instead only see their staff and training as a cost to be reduced at all oportunities. Is there any chance of getting a job with your business? I make a mean cup of coffee.

However, regarding your statement about Labor and the interest rates etc... As was pointed out they did inherit some degree of them, but, more importantly, Labor undertook some major restructuring of the economy, which was supported by the opposition at the time (who was their treasurer - that's right, it was JWH making him also responsible in part). These changes inevitably led to some short term pain (yes, "The recession we had to have" was very painful for many), but those changes have led to record long term economic growth, which started before the Coalition was elected and they have benefited from those reforms to this day. As for the unemployment figures, they changed the method of collecting data as soon as they were elected, so comparing unemployment figures now to those of the Labor Gov't is like comparing apples with tins of fly spray. I would like to see a comparison of unemployment figures using the same collection and reporting methods to see exactly who does have the better credentials on unemployment. Bugger, I suppose I've blown any chance of a job now... Doh!!

Alan Curran, you run your own business as I do, although mine is far smaller with only a handfull of employees . But surely you must realise that many people who are not fortunate enough to work for employers who treat their staff well, or work in industries where they are not specialists but just labour that can be exchanged at any time, need protection and the only way they have got that through our history has been with an strong industrial relations system and unions.

It disturbs me that so many Australians think the standard of living they now enjoy was handed to them on a plate and not won through the sheer hard work of unions battling for every single penny they now get. And that includes business operators who couldn't possibly survive if the Asutralian worker didn't enjoy the current lifestyle he does.

Moreover, my business, and I suggest yours, depends on other workers in this country having enough disposable income to buy our product. We have a vested interest in the rest of society being paid well - we all benefit. I've met so many small operators who have a blinkered view that they alone can live in a vacuum and still survive. One doesn't need to be a great economist to see that with a small population like ours with a large sector on lower wages, as is likely to happen with these IR changes, we will all be impoverished.

As for Howard's so-called great stewardship of this economy, he has coasted on those who became for him including the Labor government reforms. Nothing Howard has introduced has been revolutionary in an economic sense except the current IR changes which are dangerously retrograde and reek of a complete absense of any clue how to steer this country through the huge outside changes ahead of us. Unemployment, if counted correctly and not through this bogus 'one hour a week' garbage is equal to Germany's. The same is true in the USA and UK with politicians who are utterley dangerous in their idealogical thinking who simply fiddle with a few figures to get the desired result.

Anyone who deludes themselves that somehow Howard, in nine years has created the Australia that now exists is clinically in need of help. People need a memory fix-look back before John Howard and tell me how your life has changed. Not the slightest I guarantee, unless like much of an easily amused society you confuse all the great new cheap toys we have with a rising standard of living and attribute the fact that you can buy a plasma TV with the current government.

Alan, when your competitors are paying their staff $12 per hour, will you be able to compete or will you have to reduce your wages bill?

This legislation truly will result in a "race to the bottom" for employers and employers.

Lots of "good bosses" will have no choice but to reduce their employees wages and conditions just to stay in touch.

Wages contracting or stagnating will result in less disposable income which in turn will lead to more businesses down sizing. Then we are into a jobs market dictated by employers.

Wake up Australia!

Alan, your "service" that cannot be matched will mean bugger all when your customers can get your product from someone else for 30% cheaper.

These changes will be neutral or beneficial for employers but it is blindingly obvious that they will erode pays and conditions for employees.

Still waiting to hear from Karen Stephenson.

Stephen Callaghan, Michael de Angelos you are a negative pair spreading doom and gloom.

I have run my business for 22 years and in that time it has grown from 4 employees to the present 45 and no doubt will continue to grow. It has done this despite some strong opposition from some very large companies and some price cutting. However we give a service that my competitors can not match. When you ring my company you get a person not a recording asking to select from five options. My three girls in “Help” are brilliant and are proud of their record.

I weathered the “Recession we had to have” so I think I am equipped to handle anything that is thrown at me.

Grant Giachin, sorry I cannot offer you a job making coffee as we have a machine that does that. The tea lady we had was retrained and now runs the Spare Parts Dept.

I agree with you all there are going to be some changes, but I really do not think it is going to be as bad as you say. Anyway if it does I will just take some time off and play golf.

So I say Alan's response lacked substance and it gets snipped. He says that I am negative and spreading doom and gloom and gets published. Please explain to me why I was edited yet Alan was published? There is absolutely NO justification for these double standards.

ed Hamish: I wasn't on Stephen, but I look over the posts and you've had a good run, as has Alan. Do you know that nothing of his wasn't 'snipped'? Please relax, lay off the moderators, and get on with providing substantive argument. There are no double standards happening here, though no moderator is perfect either.

No wonder the Labor Party is in the pathetic state it is in. We are all scared stiff of offending the sensibilities of the right wing. I have said it before here yet like a fool I keep coming back and hoping that things have changed.

Newsflash! The conservatives have manipulated us to exactly where they want us. Too cowed and timid to put up anything more than a feeble token protest. And Webdiary, you are just helping them along.