Union Thuggery !

Kevin Rudd is desperately trying to achieve separation between the Australian Labor party and the worst elements of the union movement. Union leaders who have resorted to violence and those that have been found to use extortion to achieve their ends have been kicked out of the party - but the weakness of that approach is that they still retain their union power.
Rudd knows that there are many paid-up union members who are leery of a Labor government in power in Canberra if it means that power is shared with union heavy weights who are little more than criminal gang leaders.
The union movement is big business and those in the seats of power control an army of lesser satraps who extend that power to the workplace floor. Union meetings are closely monitored and the traditional show of hands deters many from expressing an opposing point of view.
Union members face a bewildering choice when they weigh up their options. The Federal Labor party has a preponderance of ex-union leaders in both it's front bench and back bench - and even more are standing for safe seats in the coming election.
How will these people view politics once they find themselves removed from the union floor and actually part of this country's government. Will union dogma prevail - or will they rise to the challenge of delivering sane and fair policies to the twenty-one million residents of this country ?
It could be that Rudd's chance of becoming prime minister may depend on how the voters read his resolve to stand up to the union movement - and whether they believe that he has the backbone to keep a firm lid on Julia Gillard and the party's left wing and it's desire to implement a draconian socialist agenda.
The more the union movement resorts to bully boy tactics and the more it's massive advertising campaign reeks of desperation - the thinking unionist must wonder whether a change of government will let loose a monster that will devour sanity and change the face of Australia forever !