About 45,000 people attended Sydney rallies in Martin Place (above) and at Belmore Park.

‘We will fight until we win’

By Kerri Carr

The passing into law of the Federal Government's proposed industrial relations changes will not signal a setback to the union movement's campaign for rights at work, ACTU secretary Greg Combet told people across Australia on November 15.

"Rather, it will signal the start of a determined, relentless effort to overturn these laws and put in their place decent rights for the working people of this country," he said.

"We will fight until we win," Mr Combet declared.

"We will campaign for as long and as hard as it takes to overturn these laws.

"Anyone who thinks our campaign will fade away had better think again.

"These past months have only been the warm-up to the main event. The real campaign starts now."

Mr Combet said workers and unionists would "work right up to the next election to hold them to account for what they have done".

Mr Combet was addressing a rally of 210,000 people in Federation Square, Melbourne which was relayed via Sky Channel to venues around Australia, including Martin Place and Belmore Park in Sydney.

In addition to the rally venues people watched the National Day of Community Protest broadcast at Sky Channel venues around the country.

In NSW about 95,000 people packed into more than 200 venues.

Mr Combet said: "John Howard should have the guts to come out and say what he's really up to -- to argue his case, instead the Government spends tens of millions on slippery, deceitful ads."

"The claim that people's rights will be protected by law is the most expensive lie ever perpetrated in Australian politics," Mr Combet added.

He said the Federal Government wanted to smash the building unions but would put lives at risk.

"I want the Prime Minister to know something right now. We will hold the Government to account for the human cost of these laws."

Mr Combet said under the new laws union officials would face risks "for doing bread and butter union work".

He explained $33,000 fines for union involvement.

"These are scandalous abuses of democratic rights, but we will not be intimidated.

"Unions must continue to stand up for people. As a union leader let me make this clear: I will not pay a $33,000 fine for asking for people to be treated fairly, because the Government has gone too far.

"On such a fundamental issue we must look the Government in the eye and stare them down. I will be asking other union leaders to do the same. We must be disciplined and responsible. There is no place for foolhardy or reckless behaviour, but we must also be firm in our resolve to stand up for people," Mr Combet added.

Mr Combet said a decent democracy should improve opportunities for people, reach out to those who need a hand, and ensure that basic rights are protected, making Australia more fair not less.

"Unions believe in fairness and justice, in prosperity for all, not just the few, in people having a say at work. We believe these are democratic rights -- rights that are worth fighting for. And fight we will."

He invited the wider community to join a "movement for change".

"Not just a movement to achieve rights at work, but a movement for fairness and justice, a movement for democratic rights."

"We must build a broad coalition of people committed to a better future," he added.

Mr Combet urged people to lobby politicians and get active in marginal seats.

"Put at risk the job security of politicians who don't support worker's rights. Help build a wall of opposition to laws that place business interests above family and community."

"We will see off bad laws and bad Governments," he said.

"We will deliver justice for working people.

"Let this great event, broadcast across the nation, the largest meeting of working people ever held in Australia, mark the beginning of a movement for change.

"I am confident that if we have the courage to stand up for our values, to provide the leadership, to fight for our cause, to reach out to others and invite them to join us, we will win," Mr Combet said.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow told the broadcast: "For more than 100 years, Australia has had an industrial relations system that has given working people a share of the benefits of economic prosperity in the good times, and ensures that there are decent protections for people when times get tough."

"This is the system the Federal Government's workplace laws will destroy," she said.

"We must not be the first generation of Australians who leave our kids with fewer rights at work than we inherited -- and we won't be.

"I am, Greg is, and every union in Australia is ready to fight like we have never fought before," Ms Burrows added.

After the broadcast, people at the two Sydney rallies, Martin Place and Belmore Park, converged at King Street at George Street before marching the Sydney headquarters of Boeing Australia in Chifley Square.

Rally protests against Boeing

Legislative crackdown on unions

Government seeks unrestrained IR executive power

IR campaign to pollies' doors

Protection of outworkers to come unstitched

WorkChoices Bill holds attention

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November 2005 contents