#628 - And this time, it's personal!

Yes, I'm up to post 628. It's not a significant number ... no zero's after it ... nothing to do with Life The Universe and Everything [Still havent' seen the Hitch hikers Movie] ... not a fibonacci number. Nothing remotely significant about it ... so, let's all celebrate post number 628 for what it is. A post on my personal blog, and not much more. I was pondering what to write today. Todays events - played chauffeur for my mother ... picked up her outfit for the wedding, discovering it was TEAL and NOT BOTTLE GREEN like we though. Drove her around to get more material to remake her hat and bag for the outfit. Went and checked out my cousins pavillions and stuff for his wedding ... celebrated Nana's 86th Burpday. Lots of controversy over the new Industrial Relation Laws where people just get sacked for no reason. We're back in the days of Ebenezer Scrooge. I like how one employer described it the other day, 'The gun is in the hands of the employer.' So, we're now in crisis, people getting sacked left right and centre just because management can't be bothered being good managers of people, and can just sack anyone that doesn't tow their line. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Australia has very poor managers, and there is a tendency to not train them. In fact, from my experience, there is a tendancy in Australian business to avoid any legitamate training what so ever. The reason I was given at the last place I worked, was that if the company actually spent the money on quality training for their employees, another company would snatch them up. In other words, they prefer to send the employees on 'crap training' that does little or nothing for the employee, keeping them at a basic level of of skill so the company doesn't have to pay them more for their improved skill level, and making them almost 'unhirable' to other firms. It's stupid, it's counter productive, and it also causes a lot of those employees to leave and go elsewhere. I know, as I've been subjected to some of the most inane training ever. Once, we basically sat there for the day while a lady read out stories from 'Chicken Soup for the Soul'. It would have been cheaper to have bought all the employees acopy of 'Chicken Soup for the Soul', and probably more productive. Other than making us feel good for a day or so, it didn't enhance our skills, it didn't improve morale, and it didn't help the company in any way other than to get them a receipt to prove they'd spent their money on training. [NOTE: Australian businesses have to put aside a certain percentage of an employees wage in order to invest in training.] So, we're back in the old draconian days, where employees can be sacked on the spot with no warning, and no reason. The Government thinks that's a good thing. Some employers think it's a good thing, and some don't. Most employees think it is a bad thing, and the cases which are coming to the publics attention are proving that. The worst thing, is to take an employer to court over an unfair dismissal will cost about $30,000 up front ... and you may not even win the case. Between these new laws and the fact they can phone tap anyone or arrest people without charges, I wonder how long before the public wakes up and realises we're in Nazi Australia! We have some laws which, as they say, a third world dictatorship would wish they had. I can only see sad times ahead! What happened to Democracy where the people ruled, and the Government were supposed to be servants to the people? We're now in times where the Government is despotism, and the people are becoming slaves to the Governing peoples! Fairwell Democracy, you were a nice idea, but alas, you are dead, but I hope not gone!