Popular rideshare company Ola has reportedly cracked down on staff for their “very poor office attendance”.
In a company-wide email, fed-up CEO Bhavish Aggarwal warned that action will be taken against those who have “misused the freedom”, cautioning staff to maintain “basic self-respect" and not take advantage of the company.
Australia correspondent Murray Olds tells Tim Beveridge the email has since gone viral.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Transport Minister Catherine King has called on the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) to sort its dispute with the NSW Government amid fears a train driver strike on New Year’s Eve could endanger hundreds of thousands in Sydney.
Train services have been under strain this week due to industrial action over ongoing pay dispute.
Plus, an uncontained bushfire is raging in the state of Victoria, prompting an evacuation order for hundreds of residents.
Murray Olds tells Tim Beveridge it is a very serious situation, though no homes are yet under threat.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks be follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio
can Now.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We're joined by Murray Old Murray, how are you going?
Very good morning? Yeah, pretty well, thank you, pretty good, excellent.
So Ola has warned staff about office attendance.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Ola Olah, Yeah. Look, it's a right share company, not
one I've ever used. I'm so old I ever use
when I've had a couple of beers. I only ever
used the Uber one. But Old as a business has
been around for a deck or so. It's got a
decent presence here in Australia. But like so many other businesses,
there's a problem with staff actually wanting to go into
(00:48):
the office post COVID, A lot of companies over here
have been struggling to get staff to go back in.
To the point now where a lot of companies are
mandating staff have to go in.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Some are cutting them some slack.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
You can have a four day week in the office
and you know, work from home on the fifth, but
a lot of look, a lot of companies want their
people back where they can eyeball them, where they can
you know, look at productivity and so on. No longer
can you work from the golf course, which I find
extremely disappointing. But in the case of older, the boss
(01:20):
of the company's put out a sensational email. It's gone
apparently it's gone around the world. Basically, turn up or
you're going to be punted. And the language he uses
is you know, it's not the normal touchy, fairly sucky,
sucky phrases that you get from you know, all the
stuff we get in emails from our bosses. Oh you're
doing a great job, but get your bumm in here.
(01:41):
He's basically said, if you don't want to turn up,
you can bugger off. So, I mean, how this affects
the company, I'm not sure. And if it's a ride
chare company, not sure. How many people actually have to
go to the office. Must be some back of back
of house staff that go on there and do payroll
and the like. But I mean most of the people
are out in the front line taking people around the city.
So look, it's an interesting email, but it's a bigger,
(02:02):
bigger problem than a ride share company.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
He didn't use Did he use the word punted or
bugger off? Was it worse? No?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
No, No, I think that kind of encapsulates another tone
of the executive membery oh, a nice bit of paraphrasing
their murray, and a minister calls on a union to
sort this dispute as the New Year's ev train stripe
looms in Sydney. That's true. Look, it's a bit little
bit embarrassing. It's the rail, tram and bus union and
(02:31):
other union. So it takes in all the staff who
make the trains run, Western drivers and guards, plus the
cleaners and the myriad other unions that are involved. They've
been fighting for a thirty two percent pay rise, Ryan,
and the labor government here in New South Wales is saying,
we can't afford to give you thirty two percent because
of they give that to one sector, one part of
(02:52):
the public sector, they'll be fighting themselves with their hands
in their pockets giving it to everyone else. And you know,
the states simply can't afford that. So there's the threat
of a network wide shutdown on New Year's Eve. And
here's the problem. Around one and a half million people
on a lovely, you know, a lovely warm New Year's Eve,
(03:13):
one and a half million people will gather around Sydney
Harbor and watch the fireworks. There are two shows, one
at nine, one at midnight, and it's a real institution here.
It's shown around the world for goodness sake. And if
this is under threat, if people can't get out of
the city and get home again. The police Commissioner made
it very clear last Friday if that can't be if
(03:34):
that can't be guaranteed, she will have no hesitation in
telling the state government, do not have the fireworks. You've
got to call it off. Well, even the federal transport minister,
another labor minister's wait an now and said, listen, you're
doing yourself as a massive disservice. You're giving yourselves an uppercut.
What are you doing. Get the people to and from
New Year's Eve and we'll sit down on the New
Year and sort this out. Every business leader in town
(03:57):
is saying the same thing. There's a lot of money
at stake. I mean billions of dollars at stake in
tourism and in actual bums on seats and you know,
buying food and drinks on New Year's Eve.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
So it's a big issue.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They go to the Fair Work Commission this afternoon, I
think it is, and you know it's hoped that it
can be resolved in time.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
God, it's a pretty reckless bargaining tech text, doesn't it. Well,
it seems.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Early to be talking about bushfires, but you've got an
out of control bush fire in Australia's Victoria which is
going to burn for days.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Quest they say, it's in the Grampians.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
It's a beautiful national park at Hall's Gap up there
and so on. It's a glorious part of the world
for tramping and hiking and so on climbing as well.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
And the bush fire, I think I'm right. Not this
weekend just gone.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
The previous one there was some lightning strikes started, a
fire went from fifty hectares to five hundred to five
thousand and a couple of heart beats, and now it's monstrous.
It really is very very big. A lot of it's
burning an inaccessible country. But I heard last night, the
last thing I heard on the news last night fire
controllers a warning if it gets out of that national
(05:01):
park it's going to start threatening property. And here's the
thing though, a lot of holidaymakers in that part of
the world, as you might expect this time of year,
so a lot of them have been urged to get
out while they can. A lot of these places is
only one way in and out, you see, so if
that road is cut, they can be really in a
lot of trouble very quickly.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So at this stage they're doing what they can.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
They've got aerial appliances, that water bombing and you know,
dropping at orange fire retardant stuff we see on the news.
But it really is a very serious situation at this stage.
No homes, no towns under threat, but that could change
very quickly.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Excellent. Hey, thanks so much, Murray. Don't you've done your
Christmas shopping yet?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
By the way, Look, yeah, what's it called? Is it?
It's not called a Santa snatch? What's it called a single? Now?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
What's it called? Where you you know, you go into a.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Pot and you draw out a secret Santa, Secret Santa,
Thank you, secret Santa. Yeah. So yeah, I was done
and dusted a couple of weeks back at the golf shop.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Sold good stuff. Hey, thanks Mary. Well, look forward to
talking again short soon.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
For more from News Talks. There'd be listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks be follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio
can Now.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We're joined by Murray Old Murray, how are you going?
Very good morning? Yeah, pretty well, thank you, pretty good, excellent.
So Ola has warned staff about office attendance.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Ola Olah, Yeah. Look, it's a right share company, not
one I've ever used. I'm so old I ever use
when I've had a couple of beers. I only ever
used the Uber one. But Old as a business has
been around for a deck or so. It's got a
decent presence here in Australia. But like so many other businesses,
there's a problem with staff actually wanting to go into
(00:48):
the office post COVID, A lot of companies over here
have been struggling to get staff to go back in.
To the point now where a lot of companies are
mandating staff have to go in.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Some are cutting them some slack.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
You can have a four day week in the office
and you know, work from home on the fifth, but
a lot of look, a lot of companies want their
people back where they can eyeball them, where they can
you know, look at productivity and so on. No longer
can you work from the golf course, which I find
extremely disappointing. But in the case of older, the boss
(01:20):
of the company's put out a sensational email. It's gone
apparently it's gone around the world. Basically, turn up or
you're going to be punted. And the language he uses
is you know, it's not the normal touchy, fairly sucky,
sucky phrases that you get from you know, all the
stuff we get in emails from our bosses. Oh you're
doing a great job, but get your bumm in here.
(01:41):
He's basically said, if you don't want to turn up,
you can bugger off. So, I mean, how this affects
the company, I'm not sure. And if it's a ride
chare company, not sure. How many people actually have to
go to the office. Must be some back of back
of house staff that go on there and do payroll
and the like. But I mean most of the people
are out in the front line taking people around the city.
So look, it's an interesting email, but it's a bigger,
(02:02):
bigger problem than a ride share company.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
He didn't use Did he use the word punted or
bugger off? Was it worse? No?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
No, No, I think that kind of encapsulates another tone
of the executive membery oh, a nice bit of paraphrasing
their murray, and a minister calls on a union to
sort this dispute as the New Year's ev train stripe
looms in Sydney. That's true. Look, it's a bit little
bit embarrassing. It's the rail, tram and bus union and
(02:31):
other union. So it takes in all the staff who
make the trains run, Western drivers and guards, plus the
cleaners and the myriad other unions that are involved. They've
been fighting for a thirty two percent pay rise, Ryan,
and the labor government here in New South Wales is saying,
we can't afford to give you thirty two percent because
of they give that to one sector, one part of
(02:52):
the public sector, they'll be fighting themselves with their hands
in their pockets giving it to everyone else. And you know,
the states simply can't afford that. So there's the threat
of a network wide shutdown on New Year's Eve. And
here's the problem. Around one and a half million people
on a lovely, you know, a lovely warm New Year's Eve,
(03:13):
one and a half million people will gather around Sydney
Harbor and watch the fireworks. There are two shows, one
at nine, one at midnight, and it's a real institution here.
It's shown around the world for goodness sake. And if
this is under threat, if people can't get out of
the city and get home again. The police Commissioner made
it very clear last Friday if that can't be if
(03:34):
that can't be guaranteed, she will have no hesitation in
telling the state government, do not have the fireworks. You've
got to call it off. Well, even the federal transport minister,
another labor minister's wait an now and said, listen, you're
doing yourself as a massive disservice. You're giving yourselves an uppercut.
What are you doing. Get the people to and from
New Year's Eve and we'll sit down on the New
Year and sort this out. Every business leader in town
(03:57):
is saying the same thing. There's a lot of money
at stake. I mean billions of dollars at stake in
tourism and in actual bums on seats and you know,
buying food and drinks on New Year's Eve.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
So it's a big issue.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They go to the Fair Work Commission this afternoon, I
think it is, and you know it's hoped that it
can be resolved in time.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
God, it's a pretty reckless bargaining tech text, doesn't it. Well,
it seems.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Early to be talking about bushfires, but you've got an
out of control bush fire in Australia's Victoria which is
going to burn for days.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Quest they say, it's in the Grampians.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
It's a beautiful national park at Hall's Gap up there
and so on. It's a glorious part of the world
for tramping and hiking and so on climbing as well.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
And the bush fire, I think I'm right. Not this
weekend just gone.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
The previous one there was some lightning strikes started, a
fire went from fifty hectares to five hundred to five
thousand and a couple of heart beats, and now it's monstrous.
It really is very very big. A lot of it's
burning an inaccessible country. But I heard last night, the
last thing I heard on the news last night fire
controllers a warning if it gets out of that national
(05:01):
park it's going to start threatening property. And here's the
thing though, a lot of holidaymakers in that part of
the world, as you might expect this time of year,
so a lot of them have been urged to get
out while they can. A lot of these places is
only one way in and out, you see, so if
that road is cut, they can be really in a
lot of trouble very quickly.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So at this stage they're doing what they can.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
They've got aerial appliances, that water bombing and you know,
dropping at orange fire retardant stuff we see on the news.
But it really is a very serious situation at this stage.
No homes, no towns under threat, but that could change
very quickly.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Excellent. Hey, thanks so much, Murray. Don't you've done your
Christmas shopping yet?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
By the way, Look, yeah, what's it called? Is it?
It's not called a Santa snatch? What's it called a single? Now?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
What's it called? Where you you know, you go into a.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Pot and you draw out a secret Santa, Secret Santa,
Thank you, secret Santa. Yeah. So yeah, I was done
and dusted a couple of weeks back at the golf shop.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Sold good stuff. Hey, thanks Mary. Well, look forward to
talking again short soon.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
For more from News Talks. There'd be listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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