Workers rally for award conditions
By Michael Bull
MELBOURNE — On September 16, more than 1000 workers rallied outside the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to protest the challenge by industrial relations minister Peter Reith to unions' right to roll award conditions into enterprise bargaining agreements.
Thirty-five awards have been incorporated into enterprise bargaining agreements so far. Reith's case will be heard by the AIRC on the grounds that it is "against the public interest" for these awards to form part of enterprise bargaining agreements.
Several unions attended the rally, with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union sending the biggest contingent. Victorian Trades Hall Council president Martin Kingham said the Coalition government's attacks have to be fought on the job and in the federal election.
Labor shadow industrial relations minister Bob McMullan pledged that if Labor won on October 3, the challenge before the AIRC will be withdrawn.
A rally of workers from the entire construction industry will be held on September 30 at 10am, Trades Hall.