|
Issue No. 304 | 28 April 2006 |
Canaries in the Coalmine
Interview: Head On Unions: Do You Have a Moment? Industrial: Vital Signs Economics: Taxing Times Environment: It Ain’t Necessarily So History: Melbourne’s Hours Immigration: Opening the Floodgates Review: Pollie Fiction Poetry: The Cabal
Revealed: Bosses Told To Blame Howard New Front on High Court Attack Mining Vigil at Day of Mourning Canberra Confidential, Andrews on the Run
Politics Politics The Soapbox Postcard The Locker Room Obituary
Belly Battles Answer is Easy
Labor Council of NSW |
News Tunnel Vision a “Disgrace”
The State MP for Lane Cove was nowhere to be seen when a delegation of tunnelers, and a women from project management, arrived at his Gladesville electorate office to seek an explanation for his behaviour, last week. Roberts told Sydney's Daily Telegraph it was "disgraceful" the tunnel project had been "left abandoned for four days straight" over the Anzac Weekend, then disappeared. "When our people turned up at his office, on a work day, he was nowhere to be seen," CFMEU secretary, Andrew Ferguson, said. "He was unavailable and no one could tell us if he was on a long weekend, sick leave or just bludging. "Tunnel workers are still waiting for an apology." Lane Cove construction worker, Mick Fisher, said he wanted nothing less than a public apology. He said tunnel workers started at 7am daily, and did 10 hour shifts, six days a week. "When we get one long weekend off to spend some time with our families we are attacked by a Liberal MP who is completely out of touch with community values," Fisher said. Project office worker, Naciye Bottos, who is six months pregnant, said she was offended by Roberts' attack. "The Anzac Weekend was also the Orthodox Church's Easter and I spent it with my husband's family. I don't think that is disgraceful, at all," Bottos said. "I thought this country believed in the family." Ferguson said building companies had requested that rostered days off be taken en masse, generally alongside public holidays, because employees taking different days off would cause delays. He said Roberts' comments had been driven by a "Tory mindset" that regarded time off work as a disgrace. "The real agenda of Roberts and his mates is to lower wage rates and conditions, including family-friendly entitlements," Ferguson said. "He is the disgrace, not workers who bust their backs, six days a week, in one of the most dangerous industries in the country."
|
Search All Issues | Latest Issue | Previous Issues | Print Latest Issue |
© 1999-2002 Workers Online |
|