Did you know that Qantas use prison labour?

[downloadingdata]

Been around for many of years and been brought to the attention of the media years ago.
Why isn't this a good idea? They are prisoners.

Eh. because no one should be forced or coerced to work? Incarceration is fine. Slave labor is not.

Unless you think Australia should look up to North Korea as a role model? Let's put those prisoners into coal mines next?

 

[justinbrett]

Jeeez - they’re taking fluffy bits of material off headphones and replacing with new fluffy bits - probably in an air conditioned office with tea and coffee provided.

Hardly “slave labour”.

Get a grip people. This is what’s wrong with society.

 

[love_the_life]

Im all in favour of decent wages for actual work (and dislike comparisons with overseas pay) ... but I think you are drawing a very long bow there...… Where does she say Aussies should be paid "$2 a day"? "Taking a wage cut to be more competitive with" does not mean being paid the same. Of course I suspect you are well aware of that.

I don't think the point being made was that Australian workers should be paid $2 ph but that they should accept lower wages so that Australian industry can remain competitive with places that do have very low wages. I don't think Hvr was drawing a long bow at all.

 

[Silvia]

Honestly, having worked as a clinician in corrections, the company may be saving money, but it actually give people something constructive and something they are proud to do whilst serving time.

I remember when assessing people for programs, they used to talk with pride knowing that what they were doing had an end result or was going to be useful.

Obviously as a company there's a bunch they are saving tax wise and so, but there are a a bunch of factors to consider around what's the "right thing to do".

 

[p--and--t]

Say what!

These are prisoners in a rehabilitation program learning what its like to have something constructive to do in a disciplined environment rather than running riot murdering maiming mugging embezzling selling drugs or robbing someone.

They don't pay for food, accommodation, clothing, utilities, rates or taxes and cost the taxpayer around $100K per annum per prisoner and some loonie wants to pay them a living wage!

Not sure why they are being paid the $5.50 a day as my understanding that used to be a handout to pay to support their smoking habits; but seeing prisons are now non-smoking.........maybe they can save it up for a new tattoo or flick knife.

 

[DC3]

Sterilize those headsets should you plan on touching them.

Edit: Just as a personal hygiene thing

 

[dajop]

Eh. because no one should be forced or coerced to work?

What about Community Service Orders? I guess no-one is forcing someone to do that work .... there is the choice, do the work, or go to prison.

 

[Vic]

many airlines do this sort of thing. Not a revelation.

I wonder would Sally prefer they do "make work" ike painting rocks white, or digging holes then filling them in again?

Why not? That work is good enough for the army... Are prisoners too good for such things?

 

[RichardMEL]

Why not? That work is good enough for the army... Are prisoners too good for such things?

Does that stuff still go on in the Army? It may well do.

My point was more that at least the Prisioners are doing a job that is not just "make work" but real work (someone has to do that stuff). I mean sure if people want to say it's unfair or whateer I reckon why not? While it would be boring work but producgtive I am sure the angle that a company like QF could be seen to be exploiting cheaper labour etc but gee hardly the only ones.. what about hospitals and others who use similar for laundry services and the like?

Frankly if *I* was a prisoner (or in the army for that matter) I'd rather be doing something productve than "make work" stuff.

And I do not have a problm with this being done.

 

[drron]

It would also not be the individual prisoner billing QF but the prison or prison service.They would almost certainly not be costing the labour at $5.50 per day.So just how cheap is QF getting it done.

 

[eric2011]

Not sure why they are being paid the $5.50 a day as my understanding that used to be a handout to pay to support their smoking habits; but seeing prisons are now non-smoking

As someone who supports a murderer serving 18 years I send money to cover simple things like Soap, Shampoo, Razor blades (safety blades) even the stamps etc for postage and maybe for what is called "a buy up". The buy up is for any little treats like some chocolate biscuits etc etc. It isn't just about getting some cigarettes or drugs etc

 

[DC3]

I may be going a bit O/T here, but there are a few misconceptions in this thread.

(From a NSW perspective), generally, a prisoner having been found guilty was sentenced by the court to Hard Labour (in the case of incarceration). It's not Hard Labour as such, but was a term used during the sentencing process way back.

The weekly pay into the prisoner's gaol account is about $15.00pw, but more if certain work is undertaken, especially if requiring skills (e.g., Kitchen, Bakery, Laundry, furniture, metal-work, cable work, and many more) where available. Some work provides for bonus incentives where production targets are met/exceeded. The type of work available often depends on the type/location of the prison (e.g., at a Prison Farm, work may be more rural orientated - summer/winter vegetable production, lucerne/hay, afforestation, cattle/other livestock) whereas elsewhere it may be more industrialised, or centred around hygiene/cleaning work, but can vary a great deal.

Refusal to work, in the case of sentenced prisoners, may have repercussions such as restricted access to amenities while others are at work. It may also mean, in the case of Minimum Security Prisons (which are generally "working gaols", where prisoners have actually agreed to work), transfer to another ("less desirable") prison.

Prisoners with long sentences want to work, and for as much of the day as possible. They understand that it will help to pass the time. In some cases, they may be able to obtain some skills for the future.

Prisoners in modern times have received a wage, whether they bought tobacco or not. Going back some years, this wage was the equivalent of a pouch of (White Ox) tobacco and some (Tally-Ho) cigarette papers, although the comparative costs blew-out long before smoking was banned in gaols.

Regarding refurbishment of Qantas headsets, this is very low-skilled work. Pretty much basic "cleaning", reassembling, repackaging, very routine/repetitive and undertaken in some cases by prisoners with intellectual disabilities ("sheltered workshop" type work, without trying to be demeaning, here).

 

[Hvr]

People are sent to prison as punishment not for punishment.


Other countries such as the Netherlands can close prisons because they are treating the causes of crime rather than just the outcomes. Even the US where there is an attitude of we'll have a trial because you're guilty and jail you for 100 years is starting to realise it is way too expensive to keep non-violent offenders in prison.

Rehabilitation needs to be tried, especially when there is an understanding of why the person committed the crime and is willing to change. To this end learning to manage money by earning it and getting used to attending work are all integral parts of successfully reentering society and reducing recidivism.

 

[airbound]

(From a NSW perspective), generally, a prisoner having been found guilty is sentenced by the court to Hard Labour (in the case of incarceration).

Imprisonment with hard labour and imprisonment with light labour were both abolished by the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 580G.

 

[DC3]

Imprisonment with hard labour and imprisonment with light labour were both abolished by the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 580G.

Typo fixed. Thanks.

 

[juddles]

I'm just waiting for someone to bring up the old "aircon in prisons but not in schools" thing

 

[Isochronous]

Imprisonment with hard labour and imprisonment with light labour were both abolished by the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 580G.

A retrograde step. We should be putting prisoners to work whilst they're being sheltered and fed at taxpayer expense. Better that than having them pumping iron (and probably steroi_s) in prison gyms getting buff and ready to commit violent crime in future.

 

[hm520]

No issues with Qantas doing this, although it's a poor move from the disabled workers.

That said, they're basically running their business the Australian way. Socialise the costs but privatise the gains (cheap labour).

 

[Vic]

A retrograde step. We should be putting prisoners to work whilst they're being sheltered and fed at taxpayer expense. Better that than having them pumping iron (and probably steroi_s) in prison gyms getting buff and ready to commit violent crime in future.

hahahahaha You do know hollywood prison movies are not real?

 

[Hvr]

I watched the SBS show Insight on their catch up channel and this episode was quite enlightening:

How can you tell if an offender is sorry, rather than just sorry for getting caught? Judges must assess an offender’s remorse, and if they find it’s genuine, they can reduce their sentence. This week on Insight: judges, ex-criminals and victims discuss why does remorse matter, and how it's shown.

Remorse

Janice Petersen takes a look at why remorse matters in the law, and how to tell if someone is truly remorseful. | SBS News

www.sbs.com.au

Ex-prisoners discussed how they did their time and what factors led to either change their criminal activities or why they've continued them.

And this article is also worth reading.

Prisons are booming as Victoria pays for its 'tough on crime' stance

Victorians are being locked up at a rate not seen since the late 19th century as a decade of tough law and order measures nearly doubles the prison population.

www.theage.com.au