With all this talk of awards for employees, all the legal protection for employees, unions, government assistance etc. etc. yet there are a lot of cases of the business owner/employer who works 70 hour weeks, do not get annual leave pay or sick pay or superannuation payments and risk the loss of the houses and other assets if things go wrong and earn less than minimum wage, can't get a personal loan because they are self employed etc. etc.
I know in Australia we are Labour orientated but how come in todays society is it OK for a small business owner to struggle so much and often treated so negatively? If we all gave up our businesses to work for a large multi-national employer what the hell would happen?
An award for small business owners maybe? If they receive less than the award wage then the difference is made up from reduced taxes, rates and levies? Would be good but can't imagine it happening.
All through history there have been employers who exploit workers and workers (usually through unions) who end up crippling businesses, the majority try do do the right thing but legislation has come about with the intent to stop the bad operators but with the consequence that a lot less good businesses will employ someone these days.