No Topic Thread

[tavas]

Got a brew boiling away, kids playing in the kiddie pool and running under the sprinkler. Even the non drinking missus is having a cider. Many oppose the ideal nuclear family, but right now, there's nowhere I'd rather be.

 

[Dave70]

Stop what you are doing and take a moment to remember the fallen.

 

[Forever Wort]

Rode home in the rain;
All is wet.

 

[manticle]

I've worked as a casual within a cultural institution for ten years. For the last few years I have been here 5 days a week unless I make myself unavailable.

Workplace recently took on 30 new casuals, most of whom have no prior experience. I showed one of them how to insert a drill bit into a cordless yesterday.
New casuals have been taken on at a higher hourly rate than pre-existing casuals.

Got pulled aside by HR rep today who acknowledged the discrepancy, accepted reponsibility and suggested we will all move up to the higher rate and be backpaid for each hour worked since the first new employees started (1st September). Strange coincidence that I confronted my boss about it on Friday who said he'd been fighting it for 3 months (but neglected to tell any of us about it, hoping it would go away). He must have been fighting hard for us.

 

[Dave70]

I dunno.
Whatever happened to the good old days when artists would chop an ear off or poision themselves with absinthe when they felt slighted..

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Absinthe is a whole new experience.....one does not just drink absinthe

 

[bum]

****. It's the time of year where people start banging on about "clean and crisp" beers ad nauseum.

Your Coopers tin and single pack of s23 probably isn't gonna get you there, sunshine.

 

[manticle]

I dunno.
Whatever happened to the good old days when artists would chop an ear off or poision themselves with absinthe when they felt slighted..

You reckon me shaving my wrist and drinking Carlton Draught last night wasn't enough?

 

[brettprevans]

You reckon me shaving my wrist and drinking Carlton Draught last night wasn't enough?

thats just a cry for help mants. Crisis helpline australia 131114

I have beers on tap mate I u need it. They are green but ill help u through it.

 

[bum]

thats just a cry for help mants. Crisis helpline australia 131114

I have beers on tap mate I u need it. They are green but ill help u through it.

Green? That's a little insensitive, innit?

I'd expect VB would push him right over the edge.

 

[jlm]

****. It's the time of year where people start banging on about "clean and crisp" beers ad nauseum.

Your Coopers tin and single pack of s23 probably isn't gonna get you there, sunshine.

I was out in the yard yesterday, sun out and warm, thinking I could really go a lightly hopped, clean as in yeast profile pale-ish-light-on-the-crystal sort of a beer, only had a brown on tap.

Now I'm back in the middle of the bass straight, red faced from a chilly, salt laden wind (which is blowing from the east for something completely different). Still feel the same.

 

[Not For Horses]

****. It's the time of year where people start banging on about "clean and crisp" beers ad nauseum.

Your Coopers tin and single pack of s23 probably isn't gonna get you there, sunshine.

I have to let the calendar decide what kind of beer I drink otherwise my blouse itches.

 

[Mardoo]

I have to let the calendar decide what kind of beer I drink otherwise my blouse itches.

Try a slip. Keeps it from riding up too.

 

[djar007]

Glad to hear your time in the job has been recognised manticle. Only two things that cause me stress at work. Pay. And training.

 

[GuyQLD]

Cream Ale just blew. Only have a robust porter on tap.

**** it.

 

[petesbrew]

Stop what you are doing and take a moment to remember the fallen.

Lest we forget.

 

[manticle]

Glad to hear your time in the job has been recognised manticle. Only two things that cause me stress at work. Pay. And training.

Actually been pushing for a pay rise for casuals since may - originally through line manager, now through union when that proved ineffective. I've been there 10 years and I was, until today on the same pay point (not just band but point within that band) as when I started.

I train people regularly who are on the same point as me. Unlike most workplaces, our casuals are paid at a much lower band than the full time staff as the casuals are seen as inexperienced assistants. However people like myself and quite a few others have vast amounts of experience and a unique skill set that supports the department (and full time staff). This experience and these skills are useful to the department and the institution as a whole and are recognised as being so by many staff members, including staff from other departments. Recognition involves being asked/required to carry out duties that are similar to those carried out by our full time and senior full time staff yet we get paid significantly less (even after calculating casual loading) than those staff members.

This disparity is what I am trying to change (and we are talking between 7 and 20,000 a year difference in pay and when you are below national and state average already, that is a lot). It will be a long road.

Recently a proposed restructure was announced and our department was one of the most affected in terms of extra expected responsibility (we essentially absorb another entire department and their responsibilities). Full time staff from management down all were offered a pay band increase. Casuals remained where they were so the disparity already existing would increase.

This is the case being heard by Fair Work at the moment (whole restructure - not just this issue) as the institution are in breach of their EBA/WPA on a number of levels.

Anyway the recent thing with new casuals being employed at a higher rate than pre-existing was additional to all this and seemed to myself and others pushing for better pay like a kick in the face. It's definitely not battle over as we are simply back where we were when we first started to push a little (underpaid and paid the same as the staff we train) but at least, as of today, we are not paid LESS than the staff we train which is what has unfortunately been happening since September.

I start a senior full time position before the end of this month but I'd like to see the fuckers respect their long term casual staff regardless. They consider me experienced enough to employ as a senior after 10 years, they can't really look me in the eye and tell me my role differs from full time and senior full time staff and therefore is worth less than some people earn working in a bakery.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

And training.


What's that!? I'm 4 years out engineer and apart from useless "free" internal corporate training the only course ive done was given to me for free from a technology provider... companies are a joke / lost cause in the consulting industry.

 

[djar007]

I am speed in some ways manticle. Given the industry I M in. But i have been chewed up and spat out a few time . I am frugal so I have survived. But sometimes only just. I doubt many of you have gone to work and been told to pack your stuff it's over. Three times in a year. And lethal . Exactly what I'm saying. Even when I'm paid really good money, if I'm not furthering g myself I feel abused

 

[bum]

I doubt many of you have gone to work and been told to pack your stuff it's over.

I've gone to work and been told to pack their stuff - it's over.

Turned up to find out they were shutting the business. No notice.

Anyway, my point is that I think you've severely underestimated this one.