NSW University workers to join Australia’s largest ever workers’ meeting
30 June, 2005
On the day after 100,000 marched in Melbourne, University workers singled out for attention by the Howard Government will be joining similar numbers of New South Wales Unionists tomorrow morning in hundreds of venues around the State. Local University staff in Sydney, Parramatta, and Armidale and other regional centres will also hit the streets following the Statewide Sky Channel meetings, while unionists battling floodwaters in Lismore, will “wait and see” if their planned march through the Town will go ahead.
The meeting is aimed at informing workers and the community on the proposed IR changes, and on what will be taken away from the workforce if the Howard Government proceeds with its intentions. The proposed harsh new workplace laws which include removing the right of appeal for people who are unfairly dismissed, the elimination of most of the role of the Industrial Relations Commission, further stripping of awards and changes that will result in lowering the minimum wage.
The Government’s broader IR ‘reforms’ will most disadvantage those in poorly unionised industries, casuals, young people and those with family responsibilities. The Howard Government is singling out University staff with plans to withhold much needed funding from the University and TAFE public education sector if they don’t implement a prescriptive set of requirements, including removing existing conditions from enterprise agreements, offering secret individual contracts to all staff and restricting union activities on campus.
“The Governments’ Higher Education Workplace Reform Requirements will see an unprecedented level of Government intervention into the into the way Universities deal with their staff” said Jo Hibbert, Vice President of the NTEU (NSW).
“We believe there are two messages that will be sent out from the week of action culminating in the meetings and rallies today” she said.
“One is to John Howard and Kevin Andrews: the imposition on Australians the worst workplace laws of any industrialised country will be remembered next election. They would be wise to listen to working people and the community who have voiced their concerns so resoundingly this week”.
“The second is to our fellow colleagues and workmates who comprise the Australian workforce: from here on it will be people who are well organised into unions that will have the best opportunity of maintaining their wages and conditions and their families’ security, while those not in unions will have the quality of their working life and security of their income dependent entirely on the whim of their employers” continued Ms Hibbert.
“In recent months, increasing numbers of university general and academic staff have been joining the NTEU. There is a growing recognition that in the current climate to protect your rights at work you need to be in an organised workplace”.
“We are no doubt witnessing the most blatant and comprehensive attack on the rights of workers by any government in this country. There hasn’t been a more important time for people to join unions and support their colleagues We hope this is reflected across the rest of the workforce” she said.
The Sky Channel broadcast and Statewide Workers’ Meeting commences at 8:30am, Friday 1 July. The largest of the gatherings will be Sydney Town Hall, and will be followed by a march.
A full list of venues is available at www.unionsnsw.com.au/events .
For further information or comment:
Jo Hibbert, Vice President, NTEU (NSW), (02) 9685 9838