No Jobs.No Pay.No Joy from Budget

Date: 11 May 2000

The Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) will back members agitating to get GST related wage increases, the LHMU National President, Helen Creed, said today.

Defending our pay and our jobs will only be done by LHMU members standing together because Peter Costello has shown his true colours in his post-Budget commentary," Ms Creed said.

" Our members wanted to hear more about how this Government will secure and improve their jobs, secure and improve their pay."

Ms Creed is in Canberra today for post-Budget consultations.

She heads the 150,000 member LHMU which represents workers in the hospitality, tourism, community sector, health, cleaning, catering and manufacturing industries.

" Instead Peter Costello has gone out after the Budget and demanded our members not seek pay increases and not work together to defend their jobs.

" Costello admitted the GST will induce inflation - now likely to hit 7% this year, as well we've got to face Howard-inspired interest rate hikes.

" So why should our members sit back and wait to be slugged. The Treasurer can't be serious when he asks, for instance, cleaning and security industry workers to just take it on the chin.

" The GST is going to take thousands of dollars out of their pockets.

" It is no wonder that members are already agitating at their workplace, among their colleagues, to take a stand on wages. This union will back our members pressuring for GST-related wage increases.

" This GST dip into workers pockets will mean restaurant and hospitality work will be less attractive, because even the tips might be taxed.

" The Federal Government has shown little or no commitment to defending or creating new Australian jobs - let alone defending and improving wages.

" Our union's 150,000 members believe that Governments - at all levels - should spend more on creating Australian jobs - and improving Australian jobs.

" A good Federal Budget would have put aside real money in Aged Care and Health Care, Child Care and Education to create extra jobs, jobs which would deliver to all Australians better services and care."

Ms Creed said union members in these areas will have to show strength and pride in their jobs, as the full effects of this Budget are assessed.

" Our members will have to stand together to defend the services they provide to the community.

" The Federal Government's failure to devote real money to these sectors will mean further pressures to cut and slash jobs, cut and slash working conditions, cut and slash services.

" The Government is spending $360 million advertising a GST that nobody wants and can only find $240 million over four years to spend on families and communities - that speaks volumes about their priorities." The Budget is skewed to help the better off in our society."

The National office of the LHMU is doing a thorough going analysis of the Federal Budget and its effects on all our members.

For further information: Helen Creed, National President, 0407 429 327 or pager 08 9357 6677

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union
Phone:	9281 9511
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	Andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au

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