Campaign for rights enters second phase

By Dennis Long

The campaign to defend the rights of workers will move into its second phase when the Howard Government finally tables its legislation in the Parliament.

The Bill will be introduced against a backdrop of widespread community anger and dismay about Prime Minister's John Howard's radical winding back of gains won over more than a century of union campaigning.

The hostile atmosphere is a result of the first phase of the union campaign which was to alert both unionised and non-unionised workers to the dangers inherent in the Howard proposals.

On October 18, a Morgan Poll reported 49 per cent of those polled were opposed to the changes with 17 per cent supporting the changes. Only 10 per cent of those polled believed they and their families would be better off under the proposals, 39 per cent thought they would not and 31 per cent were unsure.

The negative reaction to the Government's plan has persisted despite a massive advertising campaign financed by tax dollars in support of the proposals. The High Court dismissed a challenge by the ACTU and the Labor Party which argued that the Federal Government was not authorised to spend public money on the advertising campaign. The court is expected to hand down reasons at a later date.

Although the legislation has not been introduced into the Parliament, Mr Howard released a 67-page "WorkChoices" document on October 9 and embarked on a round of media appearances. The Government also increased the pace of its advertising campaign, with four-page advertisements in the major daily newspapers nation-wide and saturation advertising on commercial television.

A Senate Inquiry has been established to examine the Bill, which could be introduced as late as November 10. The official notice states that "the Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee will inquire into the current nature of agreement making, and examine the changed dynamics of workplace agreement making which is likely to occur with the announced radical overhaul of the Workplace Relations Act [our emphasis]". The Inquiry is expected to report by November 22.

In a media statement released on October 13, Opposition spokesperson Stephen Smith noted that the Inquiry "could be as short as 12 days and the Government's taxpayer funded Liberal Party advertising campaign could last 12 months".

Both House of Parliament are scheduled to sit November 7-10 and December 5-8.

ABC Online reported on October 8 that South Australia Premier Mike Rann had confirmed at the Labor state conference he would fight the proposed changes in the High Court. The states and territories remain optimistic that a Constitutional challenge to a Commonwealth takeover of industrial relations will succeed.

Planning continues for the Sky Channel meetings on November 15 with a national broadcast originating from Federation Square in Melbourne and followed by marches and rallies in capital cities and some regional centres. The broadcast is expected to be up to one hour long. The ACTU is stressing that the November 15 meetings are for all members of the union movement, not just delegates.

As further support for the campaign, the Federation has "podcast" the keynote address about industrial relations by Federation President Maree O'Halloran to the Teachers and the Law Conference on October 14.

You can download the speech at www.nswtf.org.au/general/keynote1.html. At 26MB it will take about 27 minutes to download.

Dennis Long is the Editor.

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WorkChoices: What the IR changes mean for workers

Campaign of information sparks community alarm

They said what?

Enough is enough

Gaoling unionists back on the agenda, says Ferguson

Shame file

Union women meeting the IR challenge

Your rights at work, worth riding for

For further information

October 2005 contents