New laws must deliver Rights at Work

Date: 01 October 2008

Members of the AMWU national council traveled to Canberra and delivered a clear message to Labor to deliver all the rights workers voted for at the last election.

The AMWU councilors met with over 40 MPs and Senators during the two-day trip, focusing on the MPs elected in marginal seats where WorkChoices was the key issue.

Polling after last year's election showed that 67% of voters who changed their vote cited the difference between Labor and the Coalition on the IR laws as the reason for doing so.

Before the election, 64% of voters said that they would be 'concerned' or 'very concerned' if 'Labor was elected and decided to just make some changes to the IR laws, rather than get rid of them completely'.

AMWU National Secretary, Dave Oliver, said Government MPs were very concerned when they heard practical examples of how Labor's current proposals would let workers down.

During the lobbying trip two backbench MPs told newspapers they were concerned about Labor's policy being 'watered down' and would raise it with ministers.

One unnamed MP was quoted as saying of the latest announcements, "It doesn't look like our election policy to me".

The AMWU also highlighted a key part of Labor's Forward with Fairness election policy, which stated "Under Labor's system, bargaining participants will be free to reach agreement on whatever matters suit them".

This was contradicted in statements made by Industrial Relations Minister, Julia Gillard, last week, where she indicated the government would restrict matters, including the right to bargain for job security by seeking clauses to limit contracting out.

The AMWU will continue to campaign for the rights workers voted for at the last election, as the legislation enters the final stages of negotiation.

For further information

Contact:	Dave Oliver
Union:	AMWU
WWW:	http://www.amwu.org.au/

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