Competing unions [was: Re: Native English]

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:35:28 +1100, Peter Moylan
<peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:

Al in Dallas wrote:
On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 12:31:55 +1100, Peter Moylan
<peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In the case of specialists, there is a longstanding argument
between the government and the Painters and Doctors Union over who
is to blame for the shortage. It seems very likely to me that the
established specialists are indeed trying to keep the competition
down.

House painters or artsy-fartsy painters have joined forces with
physicians in Australia?

Sorry; obscure local reference. Half a century ago, at the peak of the
power of right-wing governments, there was considerable industrial
disputation throughout the country. Fights between companies and
workers' unions were common, and so were strikes. (Right now we again
have a government of the far right, but the present government nipped
the problem in the bud by making most strikes illegal.) The biggest
strikes of all were at the seaports, and one of the unions most commonly
involved was the Painters and Dockers Union. The reputation of the
Painters and Dockers Union was aggravated by rumours that they had
connections with the Communist Party (probably true) and with organised
crime (probably false, but possible).

At some later stage, somebody noticed that the most powerful labour
union in the country was the Australian Medical Association. Since
then, you'll occasionally hear the AMA referred to as the Painters and
Doctors Union.

My favorite amusing story, which I think is true, about
competing unions had to do with Quonset huts. After World
War II, was-surplus Quonset huts were used for various
civilian needs. A Quonset hut, in case anyone is wondering,
starts at the ground on one side and has a continuous arc
until it reaches the ground on the other side. You can see
a picture of one at
http://www.polarinertia.com/may04/quonset01.htm .

The dispute I'm thinking of was between a wall-painter's
union and a roof-painter's union. I never did here how it
came out.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Native English
    ... between the government and the Painters and Doctors Union over who ... have a government of the far right, ... involved was the Painters and Dockers Union. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Barry Bonds Hears it in New York
    ... Secession of the State of Mississippi from the Federal Union. ... than half the vast territory acquired from France. ... and wherever the government of the United States had jurisdiction. ... It refuses the admission of new slave States into the Union, ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-mets)
  • Re: Barry Bonds Hears it in New York
    ... Secession of the State of Mississippi from the Federal Union. ... than half the vast territory acquired from France. ... and wherever the government of the United States had jurisdiction. ... It refuses the admission of new slave States into the Union, ...
    (alt.sports.baseball.ny-mets)
  • Re: Native English
    ... between the government and the Painters and Doctors Union over who is to blame for the shortage. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Re: The Sands of Time Do Not Lie...
    ... enriched this group when s/he wrote: ... United States and the United States government started a long bloody ... "Withdraw" from the Union unless all the states agreed to dissolve the ... southern states to secede. ...
    (talk.origins)