”The Week on Wednesday” with Van Badham & Ben Davison
News:Politics
Ben looks at the big win for farm workers this week as up to 130,000 workers will see their wages rise from as low as $3/hr to a minimum of $25.14 an hour. Despite a second record harvest year in a row and as many as 16,000 jobs needing to be filled the usual corporate agri-business lobbyists are condemning the outcome and suggesting they will appeal. The Australian Workers Union has said "If you work on a farm and aren't being paid at least $25 an hour someone is stealing your wages."
The hospitality sector is claiming it needs 100,000 temporary migrant workers to meet demand even as it claims a $44Million program from the Victorian government designed to boost demand in hospitality. The sector is rife with wage theft, super theft, rostering abuses, sexual harassment and awful working conditions. None of which the Hotels Association is suggesting they will fix before the importation of more easily exploitable temporary migrant workers.
These "labour shortage" claims come as RBA and ABC reports show that 2.2M Australians who want to work do not have the work they need. More than 200,000 people who want to work can't due to caring responsibilities and a lack of access to appropriate alternative care for their child, elders or family member with a disability.
The systemic problems are low wages, poor working conditions, lack of support to enter the workforce through the provision of care facilities and services and a quick fix mentality among many in these sectors that have become hooked on easily exploitable temporary migrant workers.
There's also info on the launch of the new children's book by the Victorian Trades Hall Council "Sticking Together", a new track by mr?e & the 4.I.S crew, an update on FriendlyJordies' effective win over Barilaro and Van's in studio appearance on Marcus Paul to talk Alan Jones, Morrison's disgrace and Qanon and On.
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Episode 97: Barilaro busted, Corporations driving up inflation, Labor commits to 30:30 by 2030 to fix environment & COVID update
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Episode 96: Making the job summit work for workers, Bosses bumper bonuses, COVID update and good news about sand
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Episode 95: Albo visits floods, industrial action in New South Wales, COVID getting worse and good news about maritime parks
Weekend Wrap 3rd July 2022: Albo rebuilds Australia’s reputation, Per Capita shines a light on NDIS, grim COVID milestone
Episode 94: The boomer fantasy of wage spirals, the failed states of America and good news about Queensland coal
Episode 93: Morrison’s march through the institutions uncovered, we have COVID and Albo signs up for ambitious action on climate change
Weekend Wrap 19th June with Van Badham! Albo’s agenda, Dutton on Insiders, early childhood reforms
Episode 92: Workers win pay rises, how Labor won government, coal fails during snap and good news about energy transitions in WA
Weekend Wrap 12 June 2022: Shorten on Insiders talks NDIS fixes, Qantas, Merivale and toxic corporate cultures
Episode 91: A decade of economic damage, minister making their mark, NSW workers face down wage cuts and good news about sea grass
Weekend Wrap June 5 2022: Liberal energy policy bites, profits soar as wages crash, Labor makes moves
Episode 90: Albo’s new Labor Ministry, Does the media have a class bias, and Dutton imports culture wars
Weekend Wrap 29 May 2022:PM Albo’s first week, Insiders learns nothing from election, Dutton the glass jaw villain, Barnaby for the chop and industrial actions
Episode 89: PM Albo and the gang of four, Liberal Leader Dutton, Murdoch media fails and democracy sausages
Weekend Wrap: Post election special with Van Badham and Ben Davison
Episode 88: Morrison cuts wages, jobs and retirements, unions win domestic violence leave, election 2022
Weekend Wrap 15th May 2022: Albo calls for wage rises on Insiders, Morrison promises to change and delivers more of the same and Dutton’s lies
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