A city council in Melbourne, Australia, has banned men from applying for its street sweeper position, which pays $46,500 a year, in a very misguided attempt to promote “equality.” According to an advertisement for the vacancy on the Darebin City Council's website, only women and people who are non-binary or gender nonconforming are eligible to apply for the job as part of their quest for “a diverse and inclusive organization that reflects our community.”
The Street Sweeper Operator role requires an individual to maintain the general appearance and cleanliness of footpaths, roads, car parks and nature areas in the council, which is located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. The position is described as “exciting.” The ad says the role can make a “positive contribution” to the area by sweeping streets and store fronts, picking up hard waste, collecting garbage and cleaning laneways.
In addition to not identifying as a man, applicants must have a truck license, and some degree of past experience operating street-sweeping vehicles is considered a plus.
The job description states: "We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and recognise the strength this provides in meeting the needs of the community we serve. We are committed to upholding a positive and supportive work environment that values the contribution of all employees and treats all employees with dignity and respect."
According to the council, the ban on men is a “special measure” under the Equal Opportunity Act of Victoria aimed at fostering equality. Darebin Council claims it is one of Victoria’s biggest and most diverse communities when it comes to "culture, language, religions, gender, age, abilities, socio-economic background, employment status, occupation, and housing needs."
Of course, this has nothing to do with equality; it’s blatant discrimination, and it’s not the only questionable move by the council. They voted last week to create a report that would “rid the world of nuclear weapons” despite a distinct lack of control over the matter.
When asked about his views on the Darebin City Council’s latest move, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said: "I will not sit here ever and try and unravel the mysteries of the Darebin council.”
One can only imagine the sort of outcry there would be if this or any other job posting specifically stated that the role was only for men. Apparently, it’s only discrimination, in some people's books, if it goes against women.
Other places insist they'll "hire anyone" as labor shortage continues
As Darebin City Council embarks on a blatant discrimination campaign, some U.S. employers aren’t being quite so selective. Some American business owners have said they would be willing to hire anyone as the country’s labor shortage continues, with an Alabama pizza shop posting an ad on its Facebook page saying: “We will literally hire anyone. If you’re on unemployment and can’t find a job, call us: We’ll hire you.”
Some economists believe that although U.S. labor shortages will start to ease a bit this fall, it could take a few years before things turn around. In June, there were 10.1 million job openings, a record-setting number, and 9.5 million unemployed people, which left less than one jobless worker for every vacancy. The National Federation of Independent Business reported that 49 percent of small business owners had job openings they could not fill, another record-setting figure.
Darebin City Council apparently feels the current job climate there is so favorable that they can afford to eliminate at least half of the potential pool of applicants for this position and abandon many more who may have fit their silly criteria but will be turned off by this pathetic attempt at appearing “woke”. It’s hard to imagine that women and “non-binary” people will be lining up in droves to apply to work for such a deranged employer.
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