TV Ads to Highlight Boeing Dispute

Date: 21 November 2005

NSW Minister for Industrial Relations John Della Bosca has announced a new television campaign highlighting the plight of striking Hunter Valley Boeing Workers and their families will be aired from today.

Mr Della Bosca said the campaign, featuring two 30-second commercials and funded by the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), would be shown on Newcastle's commercial TV networks.

"The ads urge Boeing to do the right thing and start talking to their employees," Mr Della Bosca said.

"This ugly and protracted dispute has now dragged on for more than 160 days and is a direct result of the federal government's radical IR agenda which promotes conflict rather than cooperation.

"The company precipitated the dispute through a staff lockout aimed at enforcing individual contracts.

"With the support and encouragement of the federal government, Boeing continues to block a resolution by refusing to negotiate a collective agreement.

"Though it has the power, the federal government itself is refusing to intervene to end the dispute.

"Mr Howard met with two of the Boeing workers on Monday for 15 minutes but offered nothing to broker a solution. Instead he advised the local media that the dispute had nothing to do with his Government.

"This sort of disregard for both a workforce's rights and the principles of conciliation is exactly the sort of arrogance the Commonwealth has and continues to encourage," Mr Della Bosca said.

He said the NSW Government had referred the Boeing dispute to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to look for options to resolve the matter using the fair and efficient State system.

"A directions hearing was held yesterday (Wednesday 16 November) during which the Commission set down a series of hearing days beginning later this month with a view to finalising the matter before Christmas," Mr Della Bosca said.

AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten said the television advertisements told a shameful but true story.

"This is a story about everyday workers being unable to get their employer to talk to them or their union representatives about basic workplace issues," Mr Shorten said.

"And they tell a story of being let down by a Prime Minister who has taken the side of your boss rather than be even-handed and bring both parties to the negotiating table," he said.

"Our workforce justly expects to have the democratic right to choose to bargain collectively, as Australian workers have done for a century."

Mr Shorten said the Boeing workers were thankful for the leadership shown by the NSW Government, which had intervened to have the dispute heard in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.

To view the TV Ads, please click here.

For further information

Contact:	Ainslie Gowan
Union:	The Australian Workers' Union
Phone:	03 8327 0888
Fax:	03 8327 0899
WWW:	http://www.awu.net.au

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