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Thread: Why Can Our Government Not Do The Same?

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    Why Can Our Government Not Do The Same?

    West Australia Government Condemns Shipping Strike

    Friday, 18 December 2009

    Western Australia's Premier Colin Barnett Friday condemned a planned four-day strike against Total Marine Services, a key shipping supplier to the oil and gas industry. The Maritime Union of Australia at the start of this month held a 48-hour work stoppage at Total Marine Services, as part of rolling strike action at shipping companies servicing Australia's oil and gas sector.
    Major resource companies such as Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL.AU), Santos Ltd. (STO.AU), BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) and Apache Corp. (APA) will be affected as a result.
    "Industrial action by unions intent on squeezing money out of employers will not only threaten jobs but also damage the state's international reputation for sovereign risk," Barnett said.
    A spokeswoman for the Maritime Union said it had received approval for the strike. Total Marine Services wasn't immediately available for comment.
    The union is reportedly seeking a wage increase of 30% over three years, as well as an allowance of up to A$500 a day for workers involved in construction projects -- such as the Chevron-operated A$43 billion Gorgon project that started construction this month -- to close an apparent pay gap.
    "We haven't reached a settlement with any of the shipping providers. The main issue is the allowance," the union spokeswoman said.
    Employers have offered a pay rise of 25% over three years but have baulked at the pay parity demand.

    Source: Dow Jones

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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    To start with their unions actually give a damn about the people not like our unions that is just basically looking the “other” way when it comes to protecting their people. Still what gets me down is that we have the dynamics to be a powerful country but let us take a minute to just understand what it is that we are missing.

    Let us start with our unions: I will take a known steel plant in South Africa. After the death of 3 people in 2009 the unions didn’t take any action to make the plant a safer working place. When the union members complain they simply look the other way. So it is safe to say that our unions are ineffective because injuries are still common place at this steel plant.

    Secondly let us look at government: Our government cannot control the basics like sanitation or crime. It was estimated on a popular TV show that 50000 people a year dies because of violent crime. To date we have seen no action. When you look at hospitals you will probably be better off having an operation done in your own bedroom... In 2009 newborn babies died at our local Hospital and the post-mortem of one of the babies showed that she was dropped on her head. “Investigation continued but the case grew cold.

    So I really don’t understand why people always say “Why can’t our government do this or that” the answer is simple they are not interested the end and the same goes for our unions, and national security and our right to life. They just don’t give damn.
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quite simply, our government is pro-trade unions. COSATU is part of the tri-partite alliance and we all know that it is not done to criticise one's own.

    But perhaps more relevant, business owners are evil capitalists who take advantage of employees, abuse their economic power and are there to be milked for whatever can be squeezed out of them for as long as possible.

    Once the capitalist scum have had all their capital squeezed out of them or realised that they are more welcome elsewhere and certainly are not permitted to make money here, government will prove a far better substitute employer and everyone will be far better off. How can anyone be poor when government can just print the money needed to give everyone enough to pay all the bills?

    Eskom, Telkom, Transnet, SABC, SAA, all wonderful examples of how it should be done.

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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    Well to make money is one thing to kill people is simply something completely different... See fact is South Africa resembles a communistic architecture. Case and point how can you have private ownership if the government controls your ability to get contracts and we are taxed to the point where we need more than two jobs just to own a car.

    And as it is pointed out everything that is connected to money is connected to government?? So, yes you do get companies that will literally kill workers by providing unsafe working conditions and nothing is done about it??

    now

    ut perhaps more relevant, business owners are evil capitalists who take advantage of employees, abuse their economic power and are there to be milked for whatever can be squeezed out of them for as long as possible.
    Face it some companies do exactly that and we... that is YOU and I lose because we “again YOU and I” cannot do business at all... In all honesty this was never about the business owners or small companies that are trying to survive.

    These are big cats and all they want is money we “YOU and I” are expendable. So the question is will you have a business left in 10 years from now. Ask yourself that question taking in consideration that right now you basically can’t renew your contracts with big mining groups come 2010 because government is regulating the contracts????????????????
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

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    Welcome to the real world, tec0. How do you think Rome lasted so long. Suppression of the people is not something new. It's existed for over a thousand years. South Africa is new at it. We just follow the rest of the world after they have done it. We use their examples. The only institute that changes the outcome is COSATU. Where the world has 15 different peaceful ways of striking, SA has one militant way to strike and then Vavi complains when COSATU's members get arrested for the violent ways.

    No! Tec0! This is not new, but it's very REAL!!
    Last edited by BBBEE_CompSpec; 20-Dec-09 at 07:22 PM. Reason: Syntax Error

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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    Honestly, I don’t care much for history. History shows us that as humans we cannot think properly and we cannot go forward simply because we are slaves used by everyone with a sharp stick and some money. No matter what you write, no matter what you see it always comes down to two things... Those two things are hidden in every conversation, written in every book and played out in every movie. See if you can spot it...

    Jip > Right and Wrong... Who was right and who was wrong? That doesn’t really matter because it comes down to a point of view and mindset. However always remember that history is written by the victor... thus the victor’s point of view and mindset becomes the norm and that is the scary part as you pointed it out in your post.

    Welcome to the real world, tec0. How do you think Rome lasted so long.
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

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