Paradigm Shift 4zzz (fm 102.1) Fridays at Noon August 24, 2018

This week we talk about casual work. We interview Josh Cullinan from the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union and Shane Millsom from the Brisbane Rideshare Drivers Co-operative about the challenges of being a casual worker and of organising casual workers towards better conditions.

Listen at http://4zzz.org.au/program/paradigm-shift/2018-08-24

As part of a call-out for radical radio, Andy and crew delve into casual work in retail, fast food, university and transport sectors.

Transnational mining company Rio Tinto has been trying to re-define the nature of mining work to being casual to escape paying workers entitlements under Australia’s Fairwork Act.

Andy interviews Joshua Cullinan from the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union formerly of the NTEU (National Tertiary Education Union, CFMEU, & Young Christian Workers’ Movement.

The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union is a counter to right-wing SDA union that has conspired with employers to reduce wages and conditions. This ‘accord’ with Coles & Woolworths gives the SDA more power in the ALP. For example, last week five SDA Labor senators crossed the floor and defeated a euthanasia bill.

In contrast, the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union has been trying to campaign on the Coles unpaid time issue where people are required to do some work each week for free. One union member had to do unpaid work for two and a half years by Newcastle Coles but the union fought for his full entitlements and won in the court.

Joshua comments on an important ruling in the full federal court this week that a truck driver on a mining mining site is entitled to annual leave:

“The full Federal Court of Australia on Thursday found a truck driver employed at a Rio Tinto mine under a labour hire arrangement as a casual, was not a casual under employment law, because of his regular and continuous pattern of work.” – SMH 23 Aug 2018 ‘Kick in the guts‘: Employers cry foul over casual truck driver’s win.

Taxi & Rideshare Drivers
Andy spoke to Shane Millsom about trying to organise in the Brisbane ride share drivers co-operative. The Rideshare Driver Co-op is a nonprofit organization in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.  The Rideshare Co-op has the vision to unite taxi and rideshare drivers who want to build a democratically and driver owned rideshare cooperative.

Their way of organising is different from unions covering permanent workers. For example, they offer a community space called Turnstyle in Laura Street, Highgate Hill as a drop-in place for drivers to have a coffee and chat during their breaks.