Stories from #MOstrike
Unemployed workers were on strike from 4 August to 27 September – here's why it mattered
On 4 August the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union called a strike to protest the harmful and oppressive (un)employment services system. Thousands of unwaged, underemployed and insecure workers stood up to job agency bullying and mistreatment. Below are a handful of reflections from the strikers and supporters. Solidarity in and out of work.
Comments included below are anonymous. If one of them is yours and you would like it attributed please contact media at auwu.org.au
How’d #MOstrike make me feel? Whatever’s the opposite of paralysing anxiety in combination with recurrent suicidal ideation. Whatever that feeling is it’d be that.
Free. Free from the stress and depression caused by mutual obligations. Free from the dirty rotten lies and manipulation from dodgy ‘job providers’.
Because my "job provider" (LOL) thinks that making me apply for a job that closed 2 weeks ago and that I am not qualified for, is good for my job search and dignity.
Thank you for making me feel not alone.
I still live in Victoria and obligations are still fully suspended, but I spent most of yesterday fending off Echo Australia :/
It was period of solace and peace without being disturbed and threatened.
So, so impressed by the #MOstrike. Just emailed my job service provider letting them know that I know my rights and I won't be working on a job plan with them (esp while I'm working full time on a PhD!). I've never been more thrilled to click send.
Just shared the information on the #MOstrike with my parents who are dealing with useless job providers demanding fruitless job search efforts...
230 submitted applications in 4 different fields #MOstrike
Proud to join the the strike against 'mutual' obligations (they're not mutual) & 'job providers' (who don’t really provide jobs). only thing i've experienced dealing w providers is: incompetence, disrespect, condescension, harassment.
Still scheduling appointments in the middle of stage 4 lock down. Careless, irresponsible leeches
I hate that Beth, my MAX Employment Consultant feels pressured to contact me at least fortnightly. Her boss(es) suck. I hope we can get those workers to join us in the #MOstrike
I had a phone call from my JSP and she got told that I'm on strike and will not be participating, so goodbye. Felt good.
Encouraging my mum to join the #MOstrike. She has fibromyalgia & severe depression exacerbated by chronic illness. She constantly explains to her jobactive provider she can't do physical work/long hours & they keep setting her up to fail with interviews for jobs she can't do.
I have a phone appointment with my DES provider in an hour and a half. I also need to work on an essay for uni. I think I'm going to ignore my phone when my provider calls. I can get away with it right now. Uni is more important.
APM insists on making phone appts but never manages to call on time. Today's appt was for 2:30. Someone called at 12.50 but I ignored it because I didn't recognise the number. 2:30 came and went, no call. It's just rude. This is why we strike.
I had same BS with my #jobprovider. Ignoring medical/specialist info. Job provider saying I could work fulltime when I couldn't. This is #harassment from these job providers. FFS, I suffer with #DissociativeIdentityDisorder, #PTSD & #MDD.
The reason I hate mutual obligations isn’t because they are pointless, mundane bureucratic work-like activities (I love those!) it's that I have a much more intricate kafka maze path and I don't appreciate the misdirection.
Making vulnerable people dance in the town square while onlookers jeer and throw coins would be more dignified and respectful than making them deal with centrelink and so called “job service providers”
A Job Network Provider threatened to cut me off if I didn't search for jobs that don’t exist. I just got onto a DSP but they said I still had to perform mutual obligations.
Just politely told my JSA to pound sand, and while it was kinda nerve racking...I'm well within my rights, I've got the current law on my side, and union backup if they try to get grumpy about it. No one should be scared to want to be treated like a person.
On behalf of my housemate who is unemployed, and has had a horrific experience over the last 2 years with JSP's. He has felt relieved, and focusing more on job applications within his field (pharmaceutical science) without stress when there is a period without new job listings.
I've been able to focus on uni. My mental health has improved because I haven't been terrified of getting in trouble because I'm finding it hard to find jobs to apply for. I even worked on a novel I'd had writer's block on for two years. In short: IT WAS AWESOME.
This is bold, necessary and carefully thought through: @AusUnemployment has called an #MOstrike on the harmful regime of "mutual obligation"
Mutual obligations & privatised employment services do not adequately support people looking for work. We are in a recession, a global pandemic & facing record levels of unemployment, the gov has to be realistic – there are not enough jobs to support #MOstrike.
Mutual obligations destroy mental health, punish people who don’t deserve it, and are ineffective!! the #MOstrike is a brave and necessary step — mutual obligations must go!!
#MOstrike has the potential to be one of the most important collective actions in recent years. With most unions neutered by red tape #MOstrike is a reminder of class solidarity. The left need to recognise this moment and get on board.
Art by Nicky Minus