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Lazy bones

In all my decades on this earth I've heard many myths and legends about Australian workers and the funniest one of the lot is that we're lazy.

Oh yes, we cop a fair old slagging off we workers, and while there are some horrendously lazy people around, in general Aussies are pretty dedicated.

Recent surveys have that most of us put in one heck of a lot of unpaid overtime each week and I get rather peeved when companies either don't recognise the effort, or just begin to expect such ridiculous devotion.

Take Qantas, for example, our own red-tailed mob that flies us around the world to the strains of I Still Call Australia Home.

Qantas has decided to step down hundreds of staff because its maintenance staff doesn't want to do overtime during an industrial dispute.

Er, hang on, run that by me again?

Staff stood down because Qantas wants to force them to do overtime?

Now, that seems a bit suss, doesn't it? Surely doing overtime is not compulsory? Or has Qantas decided that its workers should spend even more time away from family - even if they don't want to?

Maybe the theme song should be I Still Call Home - Because Qantas Won't Let Me Be There!

If there is something that has really got up your nose, let Grumpy Old Coot know at grumpy@webwombat.com