LaborNET Sites |
 |
|
|
Vic fair employment fight not over
Date: 16 March 2001
The Liberals' spineless attempt to scupper the Fair Employment Bill in Victoria by running to Tony Abbott has been exposed as sham. And the Democrats should hang their heads with shame for supporting it, says Trades Hall.
The fight for the Fair Employment Bill is not over yet. Tony Abbott's dirty deal with the Denis Napthine in Victoria, is a shallow politically motivated move aimed at helping Liberals in Victoria not low paid workers, said Leigh Hubbard, Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council. The Bill will still go to the Legislative Council for debate next week. And trade unionists will be there to support it.
"This is hollow tokenism by a do-nothing Coalition Government which has had over four years to tackle the problems faced by low paid workers in Victoria. It is a nasty political deal that makes only marginal changes to the system," said Mr Hubbard.
Trades Hall also condemned the Democrats who should be ashamed of themselves for supporting Abbott's bogus plan. "If Andrew Murray, (Democrats spokesperson on industrial relations) really cared about the low paid in Victoria, he would be wanting more than this shabby deal."
Denis Napthine and Mark Birrell haven't had the guts to admit there is a problem, they have no policies, now they are running to Tony Abbott for help. Why should Victorian workers trust the Liberals when they did away with workers' rights to begin with?
"The changes proposed by Tony Abbott still don't give low paid workers and owner-drivers the same rights as workers on Federal Awards," said Mr Hubbard.
'In Victoria, we have laws which entrench discrimination for over 500,000 Victorian workers thanks to the policies of the Kennett and Howard Governments. We still need the measures contained in the Fair Employment Bill, not meaningless concessions. The Liberals don't understand the thrust of the Bill - which aims to gives low paid workers access to the same workplace terms and conditions as federal award workers.
The recommencement of debate on the Bill is due to take place in the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament from 20 March 2001. This intervention by Abbott is just another desperate attempt to win votes for the Liberals whose support is at its lowest level in decades.
"If the Fair Employment Bill goes down, it will be forever on Napthine and Birrell's head."
For further information
| Contact: |
Leigh Hubbard
|
| Union: |
Victorian Trades Hall Council - OHS Unit
|
| Phone: |
03 9662 3511
|
| WWW: |
http://www.vthc.org.au
|
|
