Were the workers protests in Australia justified?
The Australian people took the streets this week headed by the workers unions and the Labor State government, 150,000 strong calling for higher wages and more equality in the workforce. The main stream media of course have put a spin on this saying that the movement adopted militancy behavior to advance their agenda, as though civility and manners are the way to get real change enacted.
Throughout history civil disobedience by way of breaking unfair laws, sabotage of trade and boycotts has been a surefire way to end black segregation or to support women’s suffrage. If instead of using “militant behavior” the protesters for these causes used civility and kind gestures towards the oppresses, would we have equality for women and African American people? I can’t be sure nor can anyone else for that matter, but what I do know is that there are ways to protest laws and the powerful special interests, ways that the powerful are comfortable you taking part in, for example writing emails, letters or calling up their answering machines and sounding off about x or y policy change and ways that make them scared. I’m not downplaying the importance of letter writing campaigns, what I’m trying to do is illustrate a point that different levels of protest elicit different responses, a more meaningful and dare I say “radical” protest sends shockwaves down the spines of otherwise spineless politicians, because 150,000 people taking to the streets is much harder to ignore than a few words written on a screen.
So now that we can throw out the argument from the main stream media let’s get to the meat of the issue, which is wages and workers’ rights. The simple facts of the matter are: wages in Australia have been stagnant for more than five years, annual wage growth for both the public and private sector is at the lowest it has been for over 18 years and finally Australian wages are not keeping up with productivity. It’s no wonder workers have had enough and have taken to the streets in anger at the politicians.
Although we have seen an increase in the minimum wage in July of this year for 3.5%, real wages are not growing at all. Real wages are “wages adjusted for inflation” this means that the buying power of your pay packet is shrinking faster than the growth of your wage. Unions were at the center of that debate fighting for a 7% increase, meanwhile many of the rich and powerful where scheming for a measly 2% increase at best, which would be far below inflation. This graph reveals that workers in both the public and private sector have been left behind in this “race to the bottom”. Wage growth has been decreasing since 2009 up until today where public and private wages are both nearly at the lowest they have been for over 18 years at 2.4% and 2%, respectively. Finally, this second graph shows that while the Australian labor force is working harder than ever, the compensation they receive is not keeping up. It was around the year 2000 where wages stopped being tied to productivity.
Now, I’m not advocating that wages should be tied to productivity, but it should at least cover inflation otherwise eventually, everyday Australian’s will not be able to keep their head above water. I could touch on CEO’s outrageous salaries that the mainstream media don’t seem to be critical enough about or the fact that in the long run it is better for the economy that the lower and middle class have more money to spend, but I don’t want this to be too long or drawn out.
References: Unions right on wages but wrong on tactics
https://www.smh.com.au/national/unions-right-on-wages-but-wrong-on-tactics-20181024-p50bqg.html
'Every little bit adds up': minimum wage to rise by $24.30 a week
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/fair-work-umpire-rules-minimum-wage-to-rise-by-24-30-a-week-20180531-p4zire.html
Wages growth is no longer falling. That doesn't mean we have turned the corner
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2018/aug/15/wages-growth-is-no-longer-falling-that-doesnt-mean-we-have-turned-the-corner
Australians aren't being paid for their productivity. Get set for an industrial relations war
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2017/may/23/australians-arent-being-paid-for-their-productivity-get-set-for-an-industrial-relations-war