Yet
Truth
Weed
The Beach
Light A Match
Mixed Tape
(c) Pink Collar Workers 2025
My Story
No Freedom, Social Justice or Growth, Only Barriers
‘Oh Sarah, she’s gone and sunk the ship.’ ~ The social media spray that made Vicki Battern go away.
SOURCE: FSG Australia CEO Vicki Batten unleashes Linkedin rant on employees
Hi Vicki, I’m one of your former employees. I’d love to sit down and have a chat.
SOURCE: FSG Australia CEO Vicki Batten unleashes Linkedin rant on employees
Destructive, distracting and draining.
Keep mental health in mind.
Queensland boss attacks “slovenly” and “toxic” employees in LinkedIn post – SmartCompany
ASIC Public Notice
Following On
After having left FSG Australia, bullied out as a union delegate and activist for undervalued worker who faced ongoing abuse and assault at work. One was chased by a knife-wielding client and, as the worker ran into the Gold Coast office, she was informed by Human Resources (HR) to get back outside and not put the office workers in danger. Left with no option, or capacity to call police, the distressed worker returned as told and hoped she would leave the shift alive. This video, created for my own interest on the weekend, was then turned into a professional educational tool for the sector. Sadly, it is a problem that continues to this day, as we shall soon see below. In the meantime, the video sits here:
Fast Forward
Employed by The Services Union, a group of refugees attended the office. Employed by an organisation called Life Without Barriers. Seven days a week at work, threats to return these workers to their country of origin, report them to authorities, have their families killed, passports stolen, any day off spent cleaning the bosses’ houses and one garage. Not familiar with trade unions, word had arrived, and so did they. At the Brisbane office, a large group arrived. En-masse, they joined on the spot. Direct support provision remains a challenge. I interviewed them in preparation for an interview with the Hack program on Triple J.
(c) Pink Collar Workers 2025
The Unions
Worker Three: The Man Who Crunched the Numbers & Found Them Missing
Steal from Peter to give to Paul, until Richard entered the equation
The Unions
LESSON: They pit each other against the other, as workers in competing sectors force action upon a government that does not want to negotiate, not because of funds or the funding, but because they can. They watch on as workers fight it out at the bottom of the system. It is the distraction they need to stop us from establishing what is going on: CLASS WARFARE.
1. How we met
2. Industry
Various health employers, both public and private, state and federal.
3. The Cognitive Dissonance
I imagine it would be the reality that working in health, and being injured or advocating for injured workers, must be equal parts unnerving and contradictory.
4. Divide & Conquer / Conquer & Divide
Unions advocate for workers, of all kinds but, as pointed out by Richard in a post on the industry and unions advocating for workers, at the same time his trade union, my former employer, the Health Services Union (NSW/ACT/QLD) (HSU) does not appear to be advocating for their members around various forms of legislative reform design in which vulnerable workers are left hanging, particularly about psychological injury, with higher thresholds almost impossible to meet, yet alone maintain support from a group of insurers that do not wish to accept claims, or support in the way in which it was, and will be, needed. iCare, don’t care.
5. Who has the power?
The insurance company, starting with the likes of iCare, dropped down to a subsidiary called EML, and their legal team, Gair Legal. In an article by Roxanne Libatique, Insurance boss urges action as mental health claims surge[1] Ken Griffin, CEO and managing director of the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) calls out the mental health crisis, referring to it as a collective challenge. He is correct and one that sits at the core of fundamental workers’ right:
The right to be safe at work
Mental health claims the leading cause of total and permanent disability (TPD) claims in Australia, workers face stigma, bureaucratic rigmarole, and implications that they have misled health professionals, yet statistics state TPD claims have increased by more than 700%. The post below sums up this situation.
LinkedIn: Richard Hoskins
In a Please Explain, two insurers were requested justification for their handling of claims for psychological injury, as well as the management of these and complaints. In the words of one Facebook user, the email called her case manager lazy, incompetent, called out the ways she was crazy, and used another c-word that will not be repeated here. Support group divided, some agreed that these managers had to be called to account. Aware that these managers are employees too, I questioned the method of communication. Yet again, one group of workers, injured in common, still turned on each other, despite having been turned on by their coworkers, managers, the employer, and insurance authorities. You can see why the theme for Hoskin’s post was one of trust, loss of trust, and a trust vacuum. The response for EML is a mere two pages.
The key component of Hoskin’s work is how trade unions, in fighting for the rights of public servants in New South Wales, that one union, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) managed outcomes for members and wage increases, upon which the government has chosen to axe the jobs of 95- public servants from Transport for NSW to cover the costs. Summed up with precision, compliance by coercion and workers are with or against and those against are, like the author of this piece of writing, on the six puzzle pieces, becomes the sacrificial lamb. As Hoskin’s states:
“It’s how many “Peters” we’ll lose before “Paul” realises he’s next.”
6. Lesson: The divided unions will be defeated
Those trade unions, including my former employer, the HSU, are known and notorious for turning their members, and each other, against each other. This is why they continue to sink their own ships, loose lips creating blips of the radar at the end of horizon. Turns out there is now pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but missile launcher with its sights set on the goal: TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE MOVEMENT SET UP TO KEEP US SAFE.
7. What we have in common
We both studied at Penn State University in Pennsylvania, United States of America.
[1] Roxanne Libatique, 24 July 2025. SOURCE: https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/au/news/life-insurance/insurance-boss-urges-action-as-mental-health-claims-surge-543717.aspx
(c) Pink Collar Workers 2025
The Mob
Worker Two: The Woman Who Took on the Mob
TAFE: It’s the gift that keeps giving
The Mob
LESSON: They regulate our education, only have generational trauma contained in a system that is funded, but positions are not filled. Those left without a voice watch on as others who do have a voice are told to sit down and shut up. It is the penultimate in disrespect in a system that is structured to teach respect, future workers and, in this case, another generation of poverty due to an inability to find gainful employment. This is not about education, it is: RACE WAR.
1. How we met
2. Industry
Higher education within the public service.
3. The Cognitive Dissonance
I imagine it would be a challenge to be employed in a targeted role to address gaps in equality, only to have your education, expertise, and lived experience be weaponised.
4. Divide & Conquer / Conquer & Divide
Mobbing is about a group of people ganging up on one individual or a larger group with power over another. It is a method of ensuring one group maintains the status quo and, in doing so, the other group does too. It is historical and generational. The gap needs to be closed and not have identified workers who identify abuse be turned into the victims.
5. Who has the power?
The government that funds the institution, the Executive who permits a workplace culture of bullying, and those who perpetrate it. As the person who was mobbed by her mob noted, this sits at odds with the core of fundamental workers’ right:
The right to be safe at all educational institutions
Education is what our country is based on for all young people, and those who wish to upskill, retrain or change professions. How can we have a healthy future if we are denied the right to be safe while studying, on the way to and when at home as we continue to learn.
6. Lesson: Oh, the hypocrisy
These institutions, including my former employer, the HSU, are known and notorious for turning their members, and each other, against each other. This is why they continue to sink their ships, then wonder why people choose alternative methods to learn. Turns out there is now a pot of gold at the end of the accountancy course, and it looks like: loose lips creating blips on the radar at the end of the horizon: TOTAL REBUILD OF ENTIRE INDUSTRIES ONCE STEEPED IN TRADITION BUT NOW EDCUATED ON THE REAL WORLD, NOT THE WORLD THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE THEIR LEGACY.
7. What we have in common
We both value truth and integrity over comfort. We refuse to back down and document everything. On that note, buy a diary or find some way to document everything.
(c) Pink Collar Workers 2025
The Bollywood Crew
Worker One: The Wife of Vigilant Husband
Cat and mouse – until Chris arrived on the scene
The Bollywood Crew
LESSON: They are not doing it to obtain footage on you; they already have enough of that. They are doing it to harass you. The whistleblower from Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia, has a wife he calls Tiny. Nicknamed to match her tiny stature and quiet ways, he recounts hundreds of hours of Private Investigators (PIs) of monitoring, stalking, and acts designed to intimidate. These people, if you could call them that, because they are hired goons designed to follow, obtain footage, and squash victims into the ground, grinding into a state of fatigue, hoping that the target will give in and go away. Often, they do exactly that. There are many of us out there, but very few of us are public and, out of that group, very few make it to the end. This is our story, but one that has silenced many people, made them feel unsafe, and left them unwilling to speak up for one reason: FEAR.
1. How we met
An online support group for workers either in or about to enter the Workers Compensation schemes, state-based, and different damages, damages awarded, and ways of accounting for these decisions, with limited accountability.
2. Industry
Not applicable to this story.
3. The Cognitive Dissonance
The reality that a male, who was not the victim of a workplace injury, but was left to handle the fallout of his wife’s injury and diagnosis, only to have repeated acts of stalking, safety measures required beyond comprehension, and a story no one would believe, until we met.
4. Guns For Hire
People with too much time, access to resources they should not and the willingness to shoot should not be unregulated, in any industry, at any time. The Workers Compensation industry has the power to investigate any matter, as it should. It’s an insurance claim. Fraud exists in every industry and all insurance arenas. Their power has been extended beyond the purpose it was meant. One worker, in our support group, posted a story, a PI caught halfway up the tree, fell out when the worker, at home on a remote property, popped out and waved at him. Caught trying to film her, her own home, well beyond the allocated role, was performing an illegal act, but in doing so, it set off a chain of events for everyone in this group. The fact that they have snitches and spies, in a support group, of equal concern, led to many people posting anonymously, some of the iCare Case Managers being caught spying on people’s social media posts, then kicked out, has led to more disclosures of people being hunted and harassed using PIs to monitor insurance claims and workers.
5. Who has the power?
The insurance company, starting with the likes of iCare, dropped down to a subsidiary called EML, and their legal team, Gair Legal, along with PIs of all types, have power, too much power, and, in an industry that is not regulated, a scary amount of power. As for the male who is trying to protect his wife, he is correct, and one that sits at the core of fundamental rights:
The right to be safe at home, at work, and when seeking medical support
There are anecdotal allegations that some workers have been sent for an Independent Medical Exam (IME) and sent to an external treating professional, denied the right to access support in the safety of their own home, even though online forums are available, both in reality and to other injured workers, only to incur large costs for the insurance companies, but with little consideration of the impact of the stress and pressure placed on a worker who has already been injured in some capacity; some lacking physical capacity, a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and various other disorders, many directly linked to being injured at work.
6. Lesson: It is only once these stories are highlighted do we realise how unregulated this industry is
This couple is married and happy, albeit stressed due to continued imposition by people who have no right to be there, and face being followed from their front door to the car as PIs pull out their cameras and shoot. They are followed from the house to external places, such as key medical appointments for the wife, shopping for groceries together for support, and being tracked and traced when visiting family on the weekend. CCTV cameras have caught these people filming from near and far, walking past repeatedly each day, driving past and filming, as well as using food delivery drivers to log the time and date of their delivery.
The level of intrusion, lack of privacy, and sheer audacity knows no bounds, and, for that reason, legislative change is needed regulate an industry with too much power, the ability to hide behind excuses and, in the case of my former employer, the HSU, ‘We weren’t down at the beach to find Ms. Gleeson. We were down there for business.’ Except they turned up when I was looking after others’ pets, not at my place of residence, found me while en route from the beach to a place, not my place of residence, and went on to obtain court orders against me, after I caught them one time too many on my camera. Oh, and if you are facing stalking for any reason, always keep your camera with you, always charged, and consider buying a power pack. I have three. Turns out there is no bullet in these weapons, but a group of us with our sights set on the goal: PUT THESE PEOPLE IN THEIR PLACE SO THEY KNOW TO NEVER PERFORM A STUNT LIKE THIS, EVER AGAIN.
7. What we have in common
We both have extensive lived experience in online and in-person safety. We know what is being done. We are not idiots. We have strong emotion regulation and a level of control that most do not. We are pushed. It is deliberate. It is designed by design, with the intent to harm. The motive is unknown but irrelevant here. What is important is that these people know what they are doing. We know they know, they know we know. We all know. It is a case of no one wants to do anything. It is why we take things into our own hands. We created this together.
Way Forward
A character of such nature must be avoided at all costs. This is not a person offering portions of misguided advice that is packaged as concern. It is not mishearing what is being said. This is being baited. A character of such nature must be avoided at all costs. This misguided advice is on offer, packaged as concern. It is not mishearing what is being said. This is being baited to drive a reaction of any kind. In the case of Tiny and acts of harassment, the people seek to create distress, at any cost. In the words of her husband, they are murderers in disguise, and he is right. To move past these people, black and delete, both in real life and online. Don’t repeat what you’ve said. A person determined to misunderstand will.
(c) Pink Collar Workers 2025