Unions organise Protest against IR laws at the MCG
by Takver Tuesday November 28, 2006 at 11:16 PM

In protest against the Howard Federal Government's Industrial Relations laws, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to stop work on Thursday 30 November, with many participating in union meetings, rallies and marches across Australia. The largest rally is expected to be in Melbourne where the Victorian Trades Hall Council have hired the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity for seating about 100,000 people.

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Rock singer, Jimmy Barnes will perform to the crowd at the MCG. Speeches will also be given, with the event broadcast by satellite to union and community meetings around Australia, including at Belmore and Tumbalong Parks in Sydney; Southbank in Brisbane; Elder Park in Adelaide; Hobart's city hall; Manuka Oval in Canberra; and the WACA in Perth.

ACTU President, Sharan Burrow said "Thursday's protest is an important opportunity for working families to send a message that they are strongly opposed to the Federal Government's unfair IR laws."

"I urge everyone who is worried about the IR laws to come to the MCG or their local protest venue on Thursday. And bring your children, it's their future too." she said.

Bracks cancels free ride to Union Rally

Last week Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd said all trams and trains to the MCG would be free because members of the Rail Tram and Bus Union would not be checking tickets. This has now been countermanded by the re-elected Labor Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks: "We expect people to pay fares," he said. "There will be the same sort of scrutiny on that as there has been in the past."

But in response to the Prime Minister's attack on teachers attending the rally, Steve Bracks said "People have the right to express their views in a democracy. People have the right to take industrial action or stop work."

Education Unions Call out Members

Mary Bluett, Victorian president of the Australian Education Union (AEU) has predicted hundreds of Victorian schools would shut or have just a skeleton staff on Thursday.

The Prime Minister said in Canberra, "Instead of attending a rock concert in the MCG ... instead of attending a Jimmy Barnes concert in the MCG, these teachers should be in their classrooms." He then proceeded to attack State Education System teachers saying "This action by Victorian teachers will further reduce the esteem of the government education system in the eyes of Victorian parents."

Independent Education Union federal secretary Lyn Rolley responded to Mr Howard's remarks, saying independent and Catholic schools teachers from would also attend union organised rallies and meetings around the country. "We've asked them to join their rallies where they live." The Independent Education Union has asked all its members to register their protest at the Work Choices legislation.

IR changes forcing Real Wages Down

Information released by the ACTU shows that workers in NSW are being hard hit by the Government's industrial relations laws with average wages for full time employees dropping $33 a week in real terms over the last year.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow released the research at the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) conference in Sydney on 24 November.

Ms Burrow's address to ACOSS highlighted the effect of the new IR laws on bringing down living standards for many working Australians and the potential emergence in Australia of a US-style two-tiered society with high levels of inequality and poverty.

"While the economic boom means corporate profits are at an all time high, there is a growing class of people in Australia that are being left behind," said Ms Burrow. "Our latest research shows that the Howard Government's unfair IR laws are a contributing factor."

According to the research average real wages for full time workers throughout Australia are failing to keep pace with inflation for the first time since the introduction of the GST. Recent data also shows that workers in the hospitality and retail industries are being hardest hit. Workers in retail, especially shops, cafes and bars are bearing the brunt of the new IR laws.

Figues released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on 16 November shows the Average Weekly Earnings falling. ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said in response: "Many working families are struggling to keep their heads above water and the last thing they can afford is a drop in the value of their take home pay."

"Average earnings in the year to September 2006 dropped in real terms by 1.2% - that is, working Australians have experienced a fall in the value of average weekly earnings of $13 a week as a result of downward pressure on wages and rising living costs."

"This is the second quarter in row since the new IR laws came in that has seen real average earnings for full time workers drop below the cost of living for the previous 12 month period."

"The historically low value of average earnings is caused by the Federal Government's new IR laws and a fall in overtime, penalty rate and bonus payments to workers under the laws."

The Office of the Employee Advocate has admitted that two thirds (63%) of new AWA individual contracts registered under the IR laws scrap penalty rates, a third cut overtime pay, half get rid of shift allowances and another third do away with public holiday payments.

While workers face a fall in the real value of their take-home pay, the cost of living is up with interest rates also rising three times this year.

Sources:

1. Herald Sun, November 28, 2006 - PM attacks Victorian teachers
2. The Age, November 28, 2006 - IR rally no free ride
3. ACTU - Your Rights at Work - List of rally locations Australia wide
4. ACTU - 24 November, 2006 - New Data Shows Real Wages For Workers In NSW Are Going Backwards
5. ACTU - 17 November, 2006 - IR Laws Hit Workers' Wages: New Abs Data Shows Pay Drops Below Cost Of Living

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