Did you know that Qantas use prison labour?

[levelnine]

Interesting way of getting around the need to pay minimum wages to staff.

Did you know that if you’re an incarcerated woman in Melb you are forced to assemble @Qantas headsets for $5.50 a day and if you refuse, you’re locked in “the slot” where you’re not allowed phone-calls, fresh air etc...

Did you know that if you’re an incarcerated woman in Melb you are forced to assemble @Qantas headsets for $5.50 a day and if you refuse, you’re locked in “the slot” where you’re not allowed phone-calls, fresh air etc...

I had no idea Qantas used prison labor #progress2019

— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) June 21, 2019

Edit: Seems like it has been going on for a long time. Have I missed the thread on it? Qantas gives jobs to prisoners over disabled

 

[TheInsider]

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.

 

[levelnine]

Been around for many of years. Why isn't this a good idea?

Qantas is not a charity, but it is a shame that the decision took work away from people with intellectual disabilities:

Sunnyfield Enterprises has been employing people with intellectual disabilities on Sydney's northern beaches for decades. For the past 15 years, its workers have repaired and repacked Qantas economy class headsets.

But last month Qantas dumped the Sunnyfield crew for a cheaper option.

 

[theblank]

there is nothing wrong with this, they are not "exploiting" prisoners.

whats next - the socialists will be wanting equal pay for prisoners.

 

[RichardMEL]

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?

 

[Isochronous]

Take a look at Sally Rugg's Twitter page and you will see what a lunatic leftist she is - the sort of psychotic buffoon who thinks the Anzac-hating Yasman Abdel-Magied is an "inspiration" but who cannot live in Australia because it would be "unsafe". To give you an insight into Rugg's warped mind, consider this Tweet:

The intersection between white supremacy + queerphobia is really important to interrogate, as is the impacts of white colonisation on Indigenous experiences of gender and sexuality.

Remember that this is the sort of loopiness that wastes millions in university funding the next time someone starts moaning about the need for "more money for health and education".

 

[Hvr]

there is nothing wrong with this, they are not "exploiting" prisoners.

whats next - the socialists will be wanting equal pay for prisoners.

Or the Liberal party (right wingers) will pay us $2 per hour and tax us heavily. That's Gina Rinehart/IPA/Liberal p arty policy.

 

[eddie 73]

And we’re the paying prisoners of the ff program..with a lifetime gold sentence.

 

[Happy Trails]

Or the Liberal party (right wingers) will pay us $2 per hour and tax us heavily. That's Gina Rinehart/IPA/Liberal p arty policy.

My daughter works for Gina Rinehart.
Makes around $140K and they're funding her to finish her degree.
Doesn't seem so bad.

 

[drron]

Or the Liberal party (right wingers) will pay us $2 per hour and tax us heavily. That's Gina Rinehart/IPA/Liberal p arty policy.

Whilst the Greens Di Natale actually has paid a worker of his that amount.

 

[Pushka]

Hypocrisy abounds again.

 

[pauly7]

This is super old news

 

[dajop]

Oh goodness sake why is AFF becoming such a conduit for political ideology these days? I guess just representative of the internet these days. Disappointing nevertheless.

OP reports a valid observation and suddenly we’re into the political quagmire.

 

[pauly7]

Oh goodness sake why is AFF becoming such a conduit for political ideology these days? I guess just representative of the internet these days. Disappointing nevertheless.

OP reports a valid observation and suddenly we’re into the political quagmire.

Suggest move of this very old ‘news’ to playground where the mob can have at it?

 

[ajd]

I don't in principle have an issue with the existence of prison work programs, as long as they serve a real and measurable rehabilitative purpose rather than purely being used as cheap labour.

Not entirely sure how I feel about the wages they are paid - I am in general a very strong supporter of workers' rights and the minimum wage, and prisoners in this country are sentenced to be punished by deprivation of liberty, not by forced labour as well. But prison labour is a very different situation than regular employment. The allegation that prisoners who choose not to work are punished for doing so/"forced to work" is very concerning, but also difficult to either verify or refute (obviously, if it's false, you can't prove it's false, and if it's true, the people involved will deny it and say it's contrary to policy, but lots of things go on in prisons that the public doesn't get to know about).

I don't know, I think it's more complex than either side of this debate likes to admit, and I think it's a debate which demands proper evidence about whether these programs help reduce recidivism and crime, and whether cheap prison labour takes away jobs from disability organisations and the private sector.

Of course, many industries use prison labour, and because it's such a complex issue that I haven't entirely made my mind up about I'm not exactly going to boycott Qantas over it. (The Qantas PR response on Twitter I have to say is not very good.)

 

[dajop]

Not entirely sure how I feel about the wages they are paid - I am in general a very strong supporter of workers' rights and the minimum wage, and prisoners in this country are sentenced to be punished by deprivation of liberty, not by forced labour as well. But prison labour is a very different situation than regular employment.

I think Qantas should pay a fair amount to the prison for the contract, but the prisoners should not receive minimum wage, unless they have board deducted from the wage.

Arguing that prisoners should receive minimum wage (without paying board) is an insult to those in regular jobs being paid minimum wage, many of whom have to support themselves (food, housing, utilities, transport) with the wage they earn.

 

[ajd]

I think Qantas should pay a fair amount to the prison for the contract, but the prisoners should not receive minimum wage, unless they have board deducted from the wage.

Arguing that prisoners should receive minimum wage (without paying board) is an insult to those in regular jobs being paid minimum wage, many of whom have to support themselves (food, housing, utilities, transport) with the wage they earn.

This is one of the things that makes it more complex than the anti-prison-labour side wants to admit - I think that's a pretty reasonable argument to make, and any activist making the opposite argument is going to face an uphill battle trying to convince the average punter that it's fair.

 

[Fergo747]

Simple, pay them a minimum wage and then deduct their earnings from the $100,000 a year it costs to keep them in prison. Anything more than they earn once they have paid for their food, accommodation, security, maintenance etc they can keep. Just like us out in the real world. Oh, and don't forget paying the ATO too...

 

[Hvr]

My daughter works for Gina Rinehart.
Makes around $140K and they're funding her to finish her degree.
Doesn't seem so bad.

Good on her and hope it lasts.

Gina is on record as saying that workers should lower their wages:

The world’s richest woman, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has sparked a political storm by saying that Australian workers should take a wage cut to be more competitive with African workers on $2 a day.

World's Richest Woman Calls For Australian Workers Wage Cut

www.businessinsider.com.au

 

[trooper]

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.