SOUTH AUSTRALIANS ARE READY TO FIGHT AGAIN TO KEEP THEIR RIGHST AT WORK, SAY UNIONS

1 May 2010

ACTU Media Release

South Australians cannot afford to go backwards in rights at work from a Federal Coalition plan to bring back WorkChoices, say unions.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow attended a May Day event in Adelaide today to warn of the dangers posed to working South Australians and their families by Tony Abbott's commitment to hard line industrial relations policies.

Ms Burrow said it was essential for working Australians to build on the advances made since the last Federal election and avoid a return to WorkChoices.

About 420,000 people, or almost 60% of South Australia's workforce, were subject to WorkChoices, with estimates that 350,000 lost protection from unfair dismissal.

Australian Workplace Agreements affected thousands of low-paid South Australians, including in the retail, manufacturing and hospitality sectors.  They were used to remove or undercut basic award conditions by increasing hours, cutting pay and abolishing penalty rates.

Young south Australians were particularly vulnerable under WorkChoices, especially with underpayment of wages or unfair dismissals.

"The community backlash against WorkChoices was a key factor in the election of the Rudd Government in 2007 with a mandate to restore rights at work", Ms Burrow said.

"The Liberals lost the suburban Adelaide seats of Kingston, Makin and Wakefield because working South Australians said enough was enough".

"It seems incredible that Tony Abbott would want to bring back WorkChoices by reducing protection from unfair dismissal and allowing employers to dictate pay, conditions and working hours through individual contracts.

"He must heed the message that whatever the name, never again".