ACTU survey disproves ACTU campaign
14 November 2011The Australian Council of Trade Unions campaigns for 'secure' work. Its campaigning includes the destruction of the right for us to be self-employed, to be our own boss. But it also wants to eliminate casual work, labour hire, contracting-out of services and anything that is not 'permanent employment'.
To support its campaign, it has released a survey, Voices from Working Australians, which it claims shows that working Australians support the ACTU campaign. In fact, the survey of 40,000 unionists shows the reverse. We've summarised the survey and make commentary below.
Survey Summary
The survey as it stands is most interesting and offers valuable insights
into the attitudes of people working in some specific publicly funded
areas. Unfortunately the ACTU has titled it Voices from Working Australians,
which is a misleading public relations title which attempts to
represent the survey as being typical of all working Australians. It's an online survey of a specific section of Australian unionists. In this respect it gives a good insight into one aspect of the thinking of a discrete segment of Australian workers. But it is not legitimate for the ACTU to claim a representation beyond that. Further, the ACTU claims that the survey shows union support for its secure work campaign. In fact, we say the survey shows the reverse.
A note on Australian union membership:
- 1.8 million union members in Australia = 19.1% of workforce.
- 46% of public-sector employees are in a union.
- 14% of private-sector employees are in a union.
Profile of respondents
- Some 42,000 responded, a big survey by any measure.
- 98% union members.
- 64% women.
- 72% come from the caring industries of healthcare, education, welfare and public administration.
- Educated, with 79% having a diploma or higher.
- 60% over 45 years of age.
- Higher percentage have mortgages than the general population---52% to 35%.
- More likely to have permanent jobs (85%).
- 63% work between 35 and 40 hrs a week.
Findings
ICA finds the findings surprising from the perspective of the ACTU, as they do not reflect the 'class warfare' campaigning typified by ACTU and union outpourings. Actually, the findings reflect a high level of professionalism and commitment to work that we would anticipate seeing from the demographic of the respondents.
On job security
- 80% did not rate secure jobs as important to them.
- 78% did not rate job security as a top industrial issue.
- 61% worked additional hours but seemed to do so by choice.
- Most common reason cited for people who worked part-time was because they preferred it. Only 8% worked part-time because could not find full-time work.
- Of youth in the survey looking for reliability of work, only 15% were searching because they could not find permanent work.
On job satisfaction
- 70% satisfied with their working conditions.
- 85% were satisfied with work.
- 69% expressed no dissatisfaction with senior managers and 76% had not experienced problems with their supervisors.
- 67% said managers showed interest in their working conditions.
On outside hours work
- 73% were contacted out of hours about work matters.
- 51% had attended work while sick.
- 75% feel comfortable taking time off work to care for the sick etc.
ACTU campaigning
- 98% want campaigning on wages and conditions
- 95% want campaigning on workers' rights
- 95% want campaigning for good secure jobs
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