
Issue No 74		20 October 2000

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News

Reith Must Apologise Say Hotel Workers

By Andrew Casey

Peter Reith should apologise to Hotel workers - especially Hotel Reception staff - for his transparent attempt to shift blame as he squirmed during his self-created Telecard fiasco.

The LHMU Hotel Union, earlier this week, wrote a strongly worded letter to the Minister demanding he stand up and apologise in Parliament for his off-the-cuff statement that a hotel receptionist might have 'stolen' his Telecard numbers .... and then possibly passed them around to friends.

" The only evidence so far is that the elites - and their sons, daughters, friends and acquaintances - are the ones who have put their noses in the taxpayers trough," Tim Ferrari, the Assistant National Secretary of the LHMU, said today.

"Mr Reith however was quick, early on in this fiasco, to blame an ordinary taxpayer, a battler, one of our members - a Hotel receptionist."

Mr Ferrari - in his letter to Mr Reith - said: " Ever since you have taken on the position of Minister for Workplace Relations Australian workers have got used to your knee-jerk 'blame-the-worker' reaction.

" To try to fend off criticism of your acknowledged unlawful activity in handing out your number to your son you found it opportune, once again, to 'blame-the-worker'.

" There was no evidence for your statement," Mr Ferrari's letter pointed out to the Minister.

" It was a convenient throw away line to try to spread the stink created by your misuse of taxpayers money.

" We believe you should stand up in Parliament and apologise to our members. All the evidence now publicly available shows that no hotel worker, at any time, was involved in the misuse of your Telecard.

"The hospitality and tourism industry is an important, growing, export dollar earner for this country.

"Your imputations on the honesty of the workers in this industry can harm the growing employment opportunities of our members.

"The LHMU proudly represents more than 150,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia - and on their behalf we write to demand you apologise as soon as possible, in Parliament, to all hospitality workers," the letter from the LHMU concluded.

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Issue 74 contents

Interview: Politics Italian Style
Italian journalist's union official Rodolfo Falvo talks to Peter Lewis about Italy's Rupert Murdoch and why Italian politics is so crazy.

Unions: A Partnership That Works
Students at Williamstown High in Victoria are benefiting from a creative partnership with TAFE and the Electrical Trades Union. Kevin Peoples reports.

International: Fiji Paymasters Fill Their Own Pockets
The Interim Administration imposed on the people of Fiji, as a result of the coup-makers, have voted themselves a hefty pay increase at the same time as they demand public sector workers take a twelve per cent pay cut.

Politics: USA Campaign 2000 - On the Road
Michael Gadiel reports on the thrills, spills, highs and lows of the US Presidential Election.

Women: Party Girl
'You can take the girl out of the Port, but you can't take the Port out of the girl' - Stephanie Key recounts her life as a feminist in a male bastion, the Transport Workers Union.

Satire: Telstra to issue $50,000 Reith Phonecard
CANBERRA, Monday: Telstra have announced Peter Reith-themed phonecard. The phonecard allows friends and family to make $50,000 worth of phone calls on it before you receive a bill. Plus, you only have to pay the bill in total if there is sufficient public outrage, otherwise the card costs just $950.

Review: Health, Wealth and Mutual Obligations
Mutual obligation for the poor only, increasing income inequality and a widening health gap. Welcome to the 21st century -or is it the 19th?

» Bitter Dispute Ends With Joyful Tidings

» Bodgy Telemarketers Face Union Wrath

» Another Bastard Bank On Rampage

» Employers Reject Individual Contracts

» Time To Come Clean

» Child Care Workers Tell Kim How Howard Nicked Their Money

» Reith Must Apologise Say Hotel Workers

» Telstra Too Smart On Casuals

» Primed To Win

» Payday Nightmare Follows AFFA Outsourcing

» Palestinian Community Seeks Union Support

» Trade Union Choir Rocks Town Hall

» WorkCover Goes For Gold In Paralympics