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August 2005 | |
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Interview: On Holiday Unions: One Day Longer Industrial: Never Mind the Bollocks Politics: Spun Out Economics: If the Grog Don't Get You .... History: Taking a Stand International: The Split Legal: Pushing the Friendship Poetry: Simple Subtractions Review: Sydney Trashed
Parliament The Soapbox The Locker Room International Postcard
Iemma�s Dilemmas
 Back To The PastAFL-CIO Not The Only WarBe AfraidFrame UpWe Love MorrisANew DevelopmentA Readers Suggestion
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The Soapbox The Last Weekend
Congratulations on everyone who has come along today. This is the Last Weekend: - it is the Last Weekend before the Prime Minister returns to take control of the Senate - giving him the power to pass any law he likes. - it is the Last Weekend before the Prime Minister begins a process that will take away basic your basic rights at work. - It is the Last Weekend that we can say that your weekend penalty rates, annual leave and control over your shifts are properly protected. We have come here to protest these changes that will undermine the Australian way of life. In doing so we also celebrate. - a beautiful winter's day at this fabulous venue - built by union labour and where a unionised workforce delivered the best Olympics ever
- the company of our family and friends - and the great - and the rights we have won over generations that allow us to work hard - but also spend time with the people we love We have families here today who have travelled from all around the state to get here - and there are parallel events going on right across regional NSW. Picnic days have been organised in: - Albury - Armidale - Bathurst - Glen Innes - Merimbula - Moruya - Mudgee - Nowra - Parkes - Scott's Head - Tamworth - Tweed Heads - Wagga Wagga - Evans Head - Kyogle
Combined we estimate there are - This is just a taste of the sort of opposition building against these changes. And it is growing.
It is growing because people will not sit back and see the very rights that have made Australia a great place to live are under attack. - weekend penalty rates - four weeks annual leave - long service leave - holiday leave loading All under attack All up for grabs Think about how you would cope: - if you were forced to give up two weeks annual leave - if you were forced to shift from permanent to casual work - if you lost control of your shifts and were forced to make yourselves available whenever the employer wanted you. These are all scenarios that the Minister for Workplace Relations has left open by removing the award safety net from individual' contracts. While the Minister says it will be the workers' choice to negotiate these, We all know that this is a joke. We have seen it again and again - You can 'choose' to sign the contract - or look elsewhere for work. And it's not just the bad bosses who will take away your rights once these changes become law. Very soon, even the good employers will fund they need to whittle away your rights in order to compete with the company down the road. And before we know it, these rights will be history. ******* This is why opposition to these unfair changes is growing every day. This is why it has not just been the union movement, but community groups, sporting groups, churches who have raised their concerns. What have these community groups been saying? - they are already struggling to find people with the time to commit to coaching and managing juniors sports ides. And they can see things getting worse. - they are finding it hard to get volunteers to patrol the beaches as lifesavers - and the can see things getting worse - - and they are experiencing a drop of in attendance to churches as more and more workers are forced to work on their traditional day of rest. And they too can see things getting worse. They see these changes as a recipe for fractures families and broken communities. On behalf of all these groups who care about a cohesive Australia, our message to the federal government today is - put families first - respect the rights that workers have fought so hard to achieve - and give up on this push to take fairness out of the workplace. ****** This week the federal government returns to Canberra. The Prime Minister now has control of the Senate and has the power to pass any law he wants. He needs to know that Australian working families are watching. And if he pushes through withy these changes to their rights at work he will be held responsible for putting pressure on workers, their families and their communities. We did not vote for this. Our campaign is going well - we have community support behind us and your attendance here is a sign that this support is growing. But we need to view this as a long term battle - not just to protect our rights at work but to reclaim the Australian way of life - a way of life built on the principles of; - hard work - time for rest and holiday - and time for our families. To succeed we need to keep the issue alive; - get yourself informed - talk to your family and friends - and hold your elected leaders accountable for decisions they make now that will impact on this nation forever. The question we must all ask ourselves is this: Do we want to be the first generation to leave our children with a weaker set of working rights than we inherited from our parents? I know I don't and that's why I am committed to fighting as long and as hard as it takes to see this attack off. ****** So enjoy your day Join me in thanking all the performers, organisers and stall holders for a great show. Keep involved in the campaign - it is going to be a long haul. But never lose sight of what it is we are fighting for: - our families - our communities - and the Australian way of life.
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