this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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One of the additional things that sucks is here in Australia if you're unemployed and/or disabled you can sign up for Centrelink and do Job searching there. But it is just terrible, because not only do you have to look for a certain number of jobs (I think abled-bodied people can do 20 jobs per month, whereas I got to apply for 12 due to disability), but every 2 weeks you have to go in and spend maybe 10minutes or more traveling to the jobseeker place and tell them "no I haven't heard back from anyone, yes I've applied for jobs, etc".
On top of that, if you're disabled you'll get fucked over because you can't work, you know you can't work, but Centrelink refuses to put you on the National Disability Scheme because you're not disabled enough (people who have missing limbs have been told that their missing limb will grow back, or you'll grow out of it. Some disabilities aren't even on it, like ADHD isn't considered a disability and only "high functioning autism" is allowed). But you can be a part of the Disability Employment Scheme (DES) where you still have to apply for jobs, but not as much, but you get some benefits over being a regular Jobseeker.
Generally, the whole thing fucking stinks and I'm so thankful that I'm finally out of it. That and the fact that those receiving Jobseeker payments are being paid below the poverty line because the government refuses to put it up.
I just, ugh. Job seeking sucks, especially when businesses ask for 50million years of experience but it's entry level. Or the fact to get experience you need to work in this field but to get in this field you need experience. Ugh.
As someone who's been on Jobseeker multiple times, it is absolutely a poverty trap, it's designed that way. Much easier to exploit when you're hungry.
While I do rant about jobseeking, I do appreciate the job provider I'm with (since I'm still in the probation period of this job). Like a previous one I was in honestly made me suicidal because of the things I had to do. And while my current provider still sucks (I am disabled and find walking tough, but they expected people to come back into the office, I couldn't even do like one week phone call, one week go in like I was doing), but they make me less suicidal. That and they do offer things to me, like vouchers for ubers to work and they're covering 3 driving lessons (haven't had a lesson since way before the pandemic).
So yeah, being on Jobseeker is such a poverty trap. It's made to feel like hell on Earth.
I'm sorry you've done it so tough, saddens me greatly that so many are reliant on such a poorly designed, implemented and enforced welfare system.