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On The Job

Latest episodes

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Sep 4, 2022 • 17min

Early childhood educators can't pay the bills with love

Australians love to talk about how we need to give our children the best possible start in life.Yet when it comes to providing those kids with accessible, affordable, early childhood education, things get sketchy.And it really falls away when we examine the pay, conditions, and career prospects of the people entrusted with educating children at that crucial early stage of their lives - early childhood educators.These educators are grossly underpaid and equally undervalued. They love their work and the children they nurture, but as our guest on the pod today tells us - you can't pay the bills with love.Early Childhood Educators have had enough. This week across Australia, they are taking industrial action to highlight their plight.We're joined by Helen Gibbons, Executive Director - Early Education, with The United Workers Union, and Talie Mengell an early childhood educator who has been working in the field for 20 years. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the host Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Aug 28, 2022 • 27min

Give us a break, Maccas..

For generations of young Australians, our first job experience has often been in the world of fast food retail.Working hard at slinging burgers or working the register as someone grabs a feed on the run is often where we learn about the reality of the world of work.The good, the bad and the ugly.What is still all too common are stories of young people in those jobs being underpaid or exploited by unscrupulous employers.McDonalds is one of the largest employers of young Aussies in the fast food business. It's also one of the businesses unions are calling out for bad behaviour.The burger giant is currently the subject of $250 million law case brought by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) which is seeking compensation on behalf of more than 250,000 current and former McDonald's workers across Australia over alleged denial of paid breaks to workers.Grace Becker is one young worker who had to work without breaks for Maccas. Gerard Dwyer is the National Secretary of the SDA.Both are our guests on this week's podcast. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the host Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Aug 21, 2022 • 17min

Foodbank and the working poor

The promise of the Australian Dream is that you should be able to work one decent, secure job and earn enough pay to put a roof over your head, support your family and thrive.That all seems like a pipe dream in the current climate, where insecure work, no entitlements, climbing inflation and a housing squeeze means that hard working Australians are driven to the margins.Many of them are turning to organisations like Foodbank to help them make ends meet.Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, operating on a scale that makes it crucial to the work of the front line charities who are feeding vulnerable Australians. Foodbank provides more than 70% of the food rescued for food relief organisations nation-wide.Matt Tilley is acting of CEO at Foodbank in Victoria. He is our guest on this week's pod. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the host Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Aug 14, 2022 • 28min

An economy that works for the people

Anthony Albanese's Labor government is hosting a Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra in early September where the problems and the inequality inherent in Australia's economy will be front and centre.Australian Unions will be there, arguing that it's high time that working people are put at the centre of every decision that effects the economy.To underline that, the ACTU has just released a new paper entitled "An economy that works for people."We speak with the author of the paper, Dr Jim Stanford.Also, aged care workers are one step closer to the significant pay rise they deserve and desperately need after the federal government supported a significant wage rise in its submission to the Fair Work Commission last week.Lloyd Williams is the Secretary of the Health Services Union (HSU), he joins us this week on the pod. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Aug 7, 2022 • 34min

Heading to net zero & the top of the charts!

This week's episode of 'On the Job' is a double feature.First up, ACTU President, Michele O'Neil, joins us for a discussion about Labor's Climate Bill which has just been passed in parliament. How will it impact the lives of working Australians? What opportunities and challenges will it present? Is the promise of a new, green economy one that will offer good, secure jobs?Then we turn the spotlight on one of Australia's favourite front men. Phil Jamieson made a name for himself as the singer with the legendary Australian band, Grinspoon. Like so many artists, he found his working life come to a shuddering halt at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having found his way through that, he has just released his very first solo album called "Somebody Else".Phil joins us to discuss how those in the music industry have been impacted by the pandemic, how artists and those who work with them are rebuilding Australia's live music scene, and how his love of music is what sustained him. Read the ACTU's full statement on the climate bill here_____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jul 31, 2022 • 22min

Why paid domestic and family violence leave is a life saver

All change that improves the lives of working people is hard won, and more often than not, it is Unions and workers who are at the forefront of the fight for change. That was the case again last week in federal parliament, when the Albanese Labor government introduced its landmark Paid Domestic and Family Violence Leave legislation. For over a decade, Unions and advocates have been campaigning for this legislation which would see women and men who need to escape violent and abusive personal circumstances able to access paid leave in order to take action to protect themselves and their families. People will no longer be forced to make the dreadful choice between seeking shelter, visiting a doctor or going to the police and losing hours at work and the income that they need. In these crucial days and moments when they need help, they can seek it without being penalised. It is a change that will save lives. On today's podcast, Francis speaks with two people who have worked tirelessly on behalf of their members for this watershed legislation, the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Julia Angrisano is the National Secretary of the Financial Services Union (FSU).  Lisa Darmanin is the branch Secretary for Victoria and Tasmania for the Australian Services Union (ASU). They're our guests this week. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jul 24, 2022 • 19min

A conversation with Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz

It's a very special episode of "On the Job" this week!Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz is one of the world's great thinkers. Professor Stiglitz won the 2001 Nobel Prize for his ground-breaking work in economics.Professor Stiglitz's work in pushing back against neo-liberal free market economic models and arguing for the importance of empowering workers and unions to build a more equitable economy is revered.He served as an advisor in the Clinton White House, holds a professorship at Columbia University, and was the first person the Greek government called for help when it faced a financial meltdown in 2010.He is in Australia to talk with Unions, workers and the newly elected Labor government. Francis sat down with Professor Stiglitz in Melbourne last week. Read more about Professor Stiglitz here _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jul 17, 2022 • 22min

The Uber Files

Since it arrived on our streets over a decade ago, Uber has prided itself on being a "disrupter" with little regard for convention.At the heart of their business model is a fanatical commitment to upend the employer/employee relationship and create a new army of sole contractors working on their tech platform with Uber having no responsibility for them, and with drivers having no rights and entitlements. This high-tech exploitation has made it a massive company that has caused controversy wherever it goes.Last week, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) dropped a trove of documents and emails from Uber's inner sanctum that reveal how the company was able to curry favour with governments and institutions around the world to achieve its aims. The Uber Files are a stunning insight into how Uber inveigled their way into the realm of prime ministers, presidents, bureaucrats and power brokers to get things done.Fergus Shiel is the Managing Editor of the ICIJ. He oversaw the Uber Files project. Fergus joined us on the line from his home in Washington DC to discuss the contents of the Uber Files and their implication. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jul 10, 2022 • 30min

Australian universities high distinction in worker exploitation

It's never been more expensive to complete a qualification at an Australian University.  At the same time, it's never been more difficult, stressful, and financially punishing to work at one.Australia's tertiary education system has become obsessed with revenue streams, and at the heart of that strategy is making sure they keep the cost of staffing to a minimum. That has resulted in academic and professional staff being stuck in endless cycles of insecure and casual work for years on end.Whilst University management rakes in huge executive fees and bonuses, staff are dependent on seasonal work that may disappear at any time. Alison Barnes is the President of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). David Harris is a career academic at Swinburne University and the University of New South Wales. Both of them are busing campaigning to restore permanent work and decent conditions for workers on Australian Uni campuses.They are our guests on today's pod. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jul 3, 2022 • 30min

Wayne Swan on a fairer Australia

On this week's podcast, we pay a visit to one of our favourite friends of the pod.Wayne Swan is a Labor legend. the proud Queenslander served as the Member for Lilley between 1993-1996 and again from 1998-2019.As Treasurer in the Rudd/Gillard governments, he steered Australia successfully through the Global Financial Crisis that decimated economies around the globe from 2008 until 2012 and beyond. Having retired from parliamentary politics, "Swanny" remains active as the National President of the Australian Labor Party. Wayne Swan is a proud advocate and champion for workers, Unions, and a fairer economy that shares its wealth more equally. Francis paid him a visit at his Brisbane home to discuss the challenges and opportunities the Albanese Labor Government faces in making Australia a better place for all. _____________________________________________________________ * You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com *On the Job is made by Australian Unions. More about On The Job podcast   Need help with working conditions? Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466   About the hosts Sally Rugg - @sallyrugg Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFranklySupport the show: https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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