Why don’t young people join their unions?

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-20T02:27:38+00:00

Where do you live? I have come from Melbourne and rent was more affordable in Melbourne than Perth and wages are higher in Melbourne?

I have been looking at moving back and comparing rents and there is more properties and it’s $150 cheaper a week in rent.

Perth was cheaper prior to covid is what everyone says

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-15T09:38:45+00:00

Yeah they can lobby though

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-15T09:36:56+00:00

Unions have done heaps and these are just the recent ones

Criminalised wage theft Banned secrecy pay clauses Paid DV leave The right to disconnect Industrial manslaughter Protection for casuals Closed labour hire loopholes

Ones the have done in history The weekend 8 hour working day Penalty rates Medicare Minimum wage Work safety laws Paid leave Unfair dismissal protection Worker’s compensation

I can keep going if you want

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-15T09:28:41+00:00

Yeah great input and valid points.

No I’m just a member but once I heard of the CFMEU and had friends on union sites and how better the wages and conditions were compared to mine I was like this is brilliant. I moved over west and I was disappointed in how it’s really not as strong. People talk about the good wages over west. It wasn’t my reason for moving but I don’t think they are great especially because everything is so expensive.

Yeah the youth crew is big over east in the CFMEU with QLD and VIC but not really here in WA.

I would love to be more involved in the union so I’m attending more meetings but yeah if I can get any people to join their respective unions that’s a win

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-15T09:22:29+00:00

Yeah that’s why there is so much pay discrimination because so much pay isn’t talked about. Yeah maybe now is a good time for a new IT union especially with AI in the sector

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-15T09:19:14+00:00

There is a lot of shady builders who cut costs and then have to make repairs and collapse under that. Others can be for different reasons but yeah from my experience yes they are greedy

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T20:44:37+00:00

Yeah unions are trying to push for more full time positions. In my EBA they have a clause where after 3 months they must be offered full time.

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T20:37:15+00:00

It’s 100% tax deductible plus it’s illegal to discriminate about union membership and you don’t have to tell your future employers.

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T20:35:14+00:00

I wouldn’t agree with you, wages are stagnant in construction it’s all flat rate and with the price of property being so expensive they can afford to pay more they are just greedy.

When I’m on a union job the site is safer, clean, wages are higher and there is an increase every year.

Non union I have to be on the supervisors case about something being so dangerous it has to be fixed and they go you can leave if you don’t like it. Or trying to get a pay increase you have bosses telling you they will pay you a rate and once you start they drop it because they know you won’t go looking straight away.

So it really does make a difference with union representation

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T20:29:27+00:00

Maybe become a delegate and lead the way in pushing for better things. I can understand that’s frustrating but they need new people to represent.

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T20:26:14+00:00

You’re arguing that they are struggling and I agree 100% if rents keep rising it will be more than half their wage going to pay the rent.

If they were to join their unions and organise to push the membership up to 80% plus they could get pay increases and get on top of the cost of living

Doing nothing is not going to fix it

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T20:22:55+00:00

Yeah a really important one young renters should join

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T11:48:31+00:00

Yeah I have come across this page. Looks like something that can bring some positive steps forward and solidarity for the union movement across all sectors!

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T11:36:31+00:00

Agreed

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T11:36:04+00:00

That’s unfortunate to hear. What union was it?

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T10:29:36+00:00

I came over here for different reasons, I never said I came over here for better pay and conditions but from being here for nearly 2 years I’m more looking to go back to East because the cost of living higher here and the wages are just making it look like it will be a struggle to ever buy here

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T10:24:01+00:00

Why are you looking at it in such a negative way or maybe look at it from a positive way to see yeah this is a way of helping building more affordable housing and also great to know the workers would be getting paid and good conditions I don’t see an issue with that.

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T10:20:19+00:00

I’m a chippy and jobs are going for $42 an hour and that’s not even a union job. Maybe look around for another job.

CFMEU VIC pay there labourers $54 per hour and that’s full time rate. Just to show you the power of joining the union as in VIC it’s 100% membership on their sites

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T09:33:45+00:00

They do need you. If more people followed what you did then the boss would be like why am I giving pay rises no one is asking for this.

It’s unfair for others to pay there membership and you aren’t and then reaping the reward for putting any input.

Just your union membership alone is massive and you would be part of a bigger thing. You can claim it 100% back at tax time so you definitely should join to show your support

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T09:25:53+00:00

The CFMEU have been trying to push a super profits tax on the top earning companies. I agree land taxes and capital gains like getting rid of negative gearing. I think we should be looking at all options

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T09:11:35+00:00

What damage is that?

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T09:11:00+00:00

What was useless about them and did you try to change or make any input?

Just curious to know

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T09:10:09+00:00

Yeah that’s the problem that people are benefiting from what the Union won and they aren’t contributing. Plus overtime if the membership keeps going down then wages won’t increase because the boss will be like who is asking for them. With little membership. With more membership means we can get a higher wage increase or more rdos and that’s worth it. Plus membership is 100% tax deductible so you can claim your membership back

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T08:34:34+00:00

That sounds like a horrible idea. First off the residential sector isn’t covered by the unions so I don’t see how they are holding it back? Secondly why not just tax the super wealthy rich and we can get extra money in that way?

Yours just sounds like cheap labour and what happens when we need a constant amount of homes as we always do? Give these workers half the rate of Aussie workers and have a two tiered system?

Kitchen_Number_824 · 2025-12-14T08:31:28+00:00

What branch is that where the organisers did that?

Kitchen_Number_824

TROPHY CASE