another file for the union royal commission?

A big year for labor and its collapse.

I really wonder why anyone would join a trade union given the tendency of the officials to use the dues to engage in various pet projects and support political parties.

Of course, some unions do handle individual grievances pretty well and members get some real benefits at that point. (I recall an instance at Flinders University where the local NTEU provided excellent service to one of my colleagues.)

But of course when it comes to collective bargaining, the better performing staff get dudded unless they can do a separate individual deal on the side (which is, ironically, very common at universities given their public posturings).

Some unions do put out misinformation about the need to join up – nurses, for instance, are told they need the personal indemnity insurance product offered by the union whereas the vast majority of nurses will be indemnified by their employer.

But here is a story from Queensland which could be another file for the upcoming Royal Commission into union governance and corruption (check out the names: Together Union???):

ONE of Queensland’s biggest industrial unions has funnelled $7.5 million of member funds into a company to circumvent the Newman Government’s crackdown on political campaigns.

The union-controlled slush fund is now being used to bankroll a political campaign against the Newman Government while sidestepping its tough new“union transparency” laws.

Together union boss Alex Scott said he had legal advice that the union funds – representing 10 years worth of union fees – was out of reach of the new union laws because the money was transferred before the legislation was enacted by State Parliament.

The $7.5 million was rolled over from Queensland’s Together union to a fund held by the Australian Services Union before being placed into the company Working for Queenslanders Limited.

Working for Queenslanders is controlled by three directors: Together secretary Alex Scott, president Vivienne Doogan and assistant secretary Julie Bignell.

Working for Queenslanders was established after the controversial Industrial Relations (Transparency and Accountability of Industrial Organisations) Bill was introduced into State Parliament last April, but before it was passed by the house.

The laws force unions to publicly declare spending and the income of union bosses.

http://catallaxyfiles.com/2014/02/16/another-file-for-the-royal-commission/