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Summer 2005

Australian families say no

Australian unions, churches and community organisations have staged the biggest protest in Australian history against John Howard’s vision of individualistic, “free market” workplaces.

Working families fear cut wages and reduced conditions will have a big effect on family, community and leisure arrangements, and put young people at an unfair disadvantage.

Polls are also showing Australians are alarmed at the impact of the new unfair dismissal laws, which will abolish job security for 3.6 million working Australians.

With John Howard pointedly refusing to guarantee workers will not be worse off, HACSU State Secretary, Chris Brown, urged every member of HACSU to join the campaign, against laws which will fundamentally alter the balance between working and family lives, and reduce take-home pay.

"These laws are going to hurt Australian workers and their families. It will hurt our family and community life," Chris Brown said.

"Workers will be forced keen on anti-family working arrangements, pushed onto individual contracts, and awards and collective bargaining will be undermined."

"On top of this over three million working Australians will go from having reasonable job security to none at all, and that includes a significant number of HACSU members."

Chris Brown said that although many HACSU members working for State Government would be initially shielded, "they were kidding themselves if they thought it wouldn't affect them."

"If they move to the private sector, it'll be take this individual contract with much reduced wages and conditions, or you don't get the job."

"And as soon as a Liberal Government is elected to run Tasmania, which will happen sooner or later, they will hand all IR matters over to the Federal Government and individual contracts and wage cuts would be introduced for everyone."

Unions are planning to continue a range of campaign activities right through to the next election.

The campaign is being strongly supported by church groups and other community organisations.