"The unions of the past knew how to fight!"

This is an fascinating and thoughtful aggregation of a lot of views on Australian trade unionism today and how the trade union movement supposedly got the way it is. The fascinating irony is that with open talk back lines lighting up so many of the comments are astute and considered..and supportive of trade unionism, but not the union movement we are stuck with today. The discourse begins with Paul Keating's recent snide dismissal of trade unions...

Mp3:It was aired with the title, Are unions on the nose?

AUDIO-Australia Talks:[Tuesday 12 June 2007] Today we're asking what future for Australia's union movement? They're fighting a rearguard action in the battle of workplace relations but are flexing their muscles to remind both sides of politics they're still major players. But maybe unions are just on the nose with middle Australia?"

Original audio source

Guests
Ken Phillips:Director of the Work Reform Unit, Institute of Public Affairs, Melbourne
John Buchanan:Workplace Research Centre,University of Sydney
Gabrielle Meagher:Professor of Social Policy, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney
Dr. Paul Gollan:Associate Professor, Department of Business, Macquarie University, Sydney

Presenter
Paul Barclay
Story Researcher and Producer
Suzanne Gibson

[Thanks to Perter Perkins for the tip on this audio.]