2l Special interest groups Flashcards
What are special interest groups?
Special interest groups are organisations or a group of people that seek to influence laws, policies or behaviours to benefit a specific cause
what are unions?
Unions are organisations composed of individuals who represent and speak on behalf of employees in a particular industry to improve wages and working conditions.
what is an employee strike?
An employee strike is mass refusal by employees to work under particular wages or conditions.
who do unions, associations, and lobbyists represent?
unions - represent workers
associations - represent businesses
lobbyists - advocate to gov and to public
REAL WORLD EXAMPLE – UNIONS
The Australian Nurses and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is a union that provides support to Australian nurses, midwives and carers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ANMF reported that employees within the aged care industry were not receiving adequate support to deal with the health crisis. ANMF represented aged care nurses and caregivers by informing the government that healthcare workers were not being provided with clear information and guidelines. ANMF also criticised healthcare providers for not consulting with the union on how to best handle the pandemic to ensure its employees were safe and healthy at work.
what are business associations?
Business associations are organisations that advise and support businesses in a particular industry.
REAL WORLD EXAMPLE – BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(VCCI) is one of the largest and oldest business associations in Victoria. To support its members, VCCI operates events that promote networking between businesses. ‘Business After Dark’ is an annual networking event held by VCCI in Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium. The event brings thousands of business leaders together over drinks and food, while encouraging owners to develop new business relationships and find new business opportunities
what are environmental lobby groups?
Environmental lobby groups are organisations that advocate for the protection of the environment and promote environmental issues to businesses, the government and the public.
REAL WORLD EXAMPLE – ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBY GROUPS
Market Forces is an Australian environmental lobby group that campaigns for large corporations to protect the environment. In 2020, Market Forces publicly condemned the large mining company, Rio Tinto, for destroying cultural artifacts in Western Australia. In May 2020, Rio Tinto destroyed the 46,000 year old Juukan Gorge caves to build a mine. The caves are considered one of the oldest and most culturally important Indigenous sites in Australia. Market Forces is now heavily campaigning for the government to restrict the ability of mining companies to destroy natural artifacts in the pursuit of profit.
