Christmas Island is a tiny outpost of Australian territory in the Indian Ocean that has become known to most of us because of its role in Australia's hardline policy on border protection and the incarceration of asylum seekers.

Yet, the tiny Island known more for its infamous detention centre than anything else, has an incredible story - one that involves old fashioned colonial exploitation, its own form of apartheid, and a workers revolt that changed everything.

Osmond Chiu is a researcher and writer on Australia's labour history, and he joins Francis and Sally to share with them the secret history of Christmas Island, and how working people came together to change it forever.

 

More about On The Job podcast

 

Need help with working conditions?

Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466

 

About the hosts

Sally Rugg, Executive director at Change.org Australia - @sallyrugg

Francis Leach, ACTU - @SaintFrankly

Christmas Island is a tiny outpost of Australian territory in the Indian Ocean that has become known to most of us because of its role in Australia's hardline policy on border protection and the incarceration of asylum seekers. Yet, the tiny Island known more for its infamous detention centre than anything else, has an incredible story - one that involves old fashioned colonial exploitation, its own form of apartheid, and a workers revolt that changed everything. Osmond Chiu is a researcher and writer on Australia's labour history, and he joins Francis and Sally to share with them the secret history of Christmas Island, and how working people came together to change it forever.
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<a href="https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/">More about On The Job podcast</a>
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Need help with working conditions?
Call <a href="https://actuonline.nationbuilder.com/">Australian Union Support Centre</a> - <a href="tel:1300486466">1300 486 466</a>
&nbsp;
About the hosts
Sally Rugg, Executive director at Change.org Australia - <a href="https://twitter.com/sallyrugg">@sallyrugg</a>
Francis Leach, ACTU -&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SaintFrankly">@SaintFrankly</a>

The way we work, how work is changing, how it used to be and what it might look like in the future.

It’s about who we work with, and who we work for.

It’s a discussion about the conditions in which we work and the demands of a job.

It’s talking about how it can be the best thing in our lives and also the worst.

Work can give us meaning and satisfaction, it can be the most challenging thing we’ve ever done and the most soul destroying days of our lives.

And that can all be in the same week!

Above all, we want to talk about work in a way that helps make work better for everyone
who listens.

Authorised by Sally McManus, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Melbourne.

The way we work, how work is changing, how it used to be and what it might look like in the future.
It&rsquo;s about who we work with, and who we work for.
It&rsquo;s a discussion about the conditions in which we work and the demands of a job.
It&rsquo;s talking about how it can be the best thing in our lives and also the worst.
Work can give us meaning and satisfaction, it can be the most challenging thing we&rsquo;ve ever done and the most soul destroying days of our lives.
And that can all be in the same week!
Above all, we want to talk about work in a way that helps make work better for everyone who listens. Authorised by Sally McManus, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Melbourne.

Dream Job, Cash gig, career move, a job for life or the job from hell.. On the job is a here to talk to you about your working life.

On The Job

The way we work, how work is changing, how it used to be and what it might look like in the future.

It’s about who we work with, and who we work for.

It’s a discussion about the conditions in which we work and the demands of a job.

It’s talking about how it can be the best thing in our lives and also the worst.

Work can give us meaning and satisfaction, it can be the most challenging thing we’ve ever done and the most soul destroying days of our lives.

And that can all be in the same week!

Above all, we want to talk about work in a way that helps make work better for everyone
who listens.

The way we work, how work is changing, how it used to be and what it might look like in the future.
It&rsquo;s about who we work with, and who we work for.
It&rsquo;s a discussion about the conditions in which we work and the demands of a job.
It&rsquo;s talking about how it can be the best thing in our lives and also the worst.
Work can give us meaning and satisfaction, it can be the most challenging thing we&rsquo;ve ever done and the most soul destroying days of our lives.
And that can all be in the same week!
Above all, we want to talk about work in a way that helps make work better for everyone who listens.

The secret history of Christmas Island

On The Job is back and with new hosts: Kleo Cruse and Emma Hartley. This episode is for all workers with a reproductive system – yes, that’s you!

The social stigma attached to menstruation and menopause often means workers are enduring the pain of normal bodily functions in silence.

We chat to Ann-Marie Allan from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and Kate Marshall from the Health And Community Services Union about how reproductive leave can help ease some of that pain.

Keen to have reproductive leave at your workplace? Get things kickstarted by joining your union.

On The Job is back and with new hosts: Kleo Cruse and Emma Hartley. This episode is for all workers with a reproductive system – yes, that’s you!
The social stigma attached to menstruation and menopause often means workers are enduring the pain of normal bodily functions in silence.
We chat to Ann-Marie Allan from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and Kate Marshall from the Health And Community Services Union about how reproductive leave can help ease some of that pain.
Keen to have reproductive leave at your workplace? Get things kickstarted by <a href="https://www.australianunions.org.au/action/for-the-workers/">joining your union</a>.

Pain, periods, perimenopause: why workplaces need reproductive leave (part one)

The last pod in our summer series takes a look at one of 2022's best pieces of investigative journalism.

Since it arrived on our streets over a decade ago, Uber has prided itself on being a "disrupter" with little regard for convention.

At the heart of their business model is a fanatical commitment to upend the employer/employee relationship and create a new army of sole contractors working on their tech platform with Uber having no responsibility for them, and with drivers having no rights and entitlements.

This high-tech exploitation has made it a massive company that has caused controversy wherever it goes.

In July of 2022 the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) dropped a trove of documents and emails from Uber's inner sanctum that reveal how the company was able to curry favour with governments and institutions around the world to achieve its aims.

The Uber Files are a stunning insight into how Uber inveigled their way into the realm of prime ministers, presidents, bureaucrats and power brokers to get things done. 

Fergus Shiel is the Managing Editor of the ICIJ. He oversaw the Uber Files project.

Fergus joined us on the line from his home in Washington DC to discuss the contents of the Uber Files and their implication.



You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com


On the Job is made by Australian Unions.

More about On The Job podcast


Need help with working conditions?

Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466



About the host

Francis Leach is Editor at Large for the Australian Council of Trade Unions

Twitter - @SaintFrankly

The last pod in our summer series takes a look at one of 2022's best pieces of investigative journalism.
Since it arrived on our streets over a decade ago, Uber has prided itself on being a "disrupter" with little regard for convention. At the heart of their business model is a fanatical commitment to upend the employer/employee relationship and create a new army of sole contractors working on their tech platform with Uber having no responsibility for them, and with drivers having no rights and entitlements.
This high-tech exploitation has made it a massive company that has caused controversy wherever it goes. In July of 2022 the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) dropped a trove of documents and emails from Uber's inner sanctum that reveal how the company was able to curry favour with governments and institutions around the world to achieve its aims.
<a href="https://www.icij.org/investigations/uber-files/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.icij.org/investigations/uber-files/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1671758693665000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1qAuBdm7PMR_Tt5kbWS-8R">The Uber Files</a> are a stunning insight into how Uber inveigled their way into the realm of prime ministers, presidents, bureaucrats and power brokers to get things done. <a href="https://www.icij.org/journalists/fergus-shiel/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.icij.org/journalists/fergus-shiel/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1671758693665000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0iCVpjy5F-ywUvPvw8le26"></a>
<a href="https://www.icij.org/journalists/fergus-shiel/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.icij.org/journalists/fergus-shiel/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1671758693665000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0iCVpjy5F-ywUvPvw8le26">Fergus Shiel</a> is the Managing Editor of the ICIJ. He oversaw the Uber Files project.
Fergus joined us on the line from his home in Washington DC to discuss the contents of the Uber Files and their implication.
 
You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - <a href="mailto:otjpodcast@protonmail.com">otjpodcast@protonmail.com</a>
 On the Job is made by <a href="https://www.australianunions.org.au/">Australian Unions</a>.
<a href="https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/">More about On The Job podcast</a>
 Need help with working conditions?
Call <a href="https://actuonline.nationbuilder.com/">Australian Union Support Centre</a> - <a href="tel:1300486466">1300 486 466</a>
 
About the host
Francis Leach is Editor at Large for the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/SaintFrankly">@SaintFrankly</a>

Summer Series - The Uber Files

This week in our summer series, we head back to August 2022 to examine the growing demands for food assistance from workers and their families.

The promise of the Australian Dream is that you should be able to work one decent, secure job and earn enough pay to put a roof over your head, support your family and thrive.

That all seems like a pipe dream in the current climate, where insecure work, no entitlements, climbing inflation, and a housing squeeze means that hard-working Australians are driven to the margins.

Many of them are turning to organisations like Foodbank to help them make ends meet.

Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, operating on a scale that makes it crucial to the work of the front-line charities who are feeding vulnerable Australians.

Foodbank provides more than 70% of the food rescued for food relief organisations nationwide.

Matt Tilley is acting of CEO at Foodbank in Victoria.

He joins us on the pod.



You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - otjpodcast@protonmail.com


On the Job is made by Australian Unions.

More about On The Job podcast


Need help with working conditions?

Call Australian Union Support Centre - 1300 486 466



About the host

Francis Leach is Editor at Large for the Australian Council of Trade Unions

Twitter - @SaintFrankly

This week in our summer series, we head back to August 2022 to examine the growing demands for food assistance from workers and their families.
The promise of the Australian Dream is that you should be able to work one decent, secure job and earn enough pay to put a roof over your head, support your family and thrive.
That all seems like a pipe dream in the current climate, where insecure work, no entitlements, climbing inflation, and a housing squeeze means that hard-working Australians are driven to the margins.
Many of them are turning to organisations like Foodbank to help them make ends meet.
Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, operating on a scale that makes it crucial to the work of the front-line charities who are feeding vulnerable Australians.
Foodbank provides more than 70% of the food rescued for food relief organisations nationwide.
Matt Tilley is acting of CEO at <a href="https://www.foodbank.org.au/?state=vic" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.foodbank.org.au/?state%3Dvic&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1671758693665000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1i64pYBYohmOl5SSDTSwXf">Foodbank in Victoria</a>.
He joins us on the pod.
 
You can now email us with your comments, story ideas, tip-offs, flip offs, and questions - <a href="mailto:otjpodcast@protonmail.com">otjpodcast@protonmail.com</a>
 On the Job is made by <a href="https://www.australianunions.org.au/">Australian Unions</a>.
<a href="https://www.onthejobpodcast.com.au/">More about On The Job podcast</a>
 Need help with working conditions?
Call <a href="https://actuonline.nationbuilder.com/">Australian Union Support Centre</a> - <a href="tel:1300486466">1300 486 466</a>
 
About the host
Francis Leach is Editor at Large for the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/SaintFrankly">@SaintFrankly</a>

The secret history of Christmas Island

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