
Australians take to streets to denounce labour bill CBC \|\| November 17, 2005 Hundreds of thousands of Australians joined protest rallies on Tuesday to denounce a bill that would cut the role of unions and let employers sign individual contracts with workers. Union leaders are calling it the biggest demonstration in the country's history. The largest gathering was in Melbourne, where organizers said more than 200,000 people took to the streets. Police put the figure at 150,000. The president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sharan Burrow, told the rally the proposed changes would strip workers of their rights. Unions are ready to fight as never before, she said. Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com There were smaller protests in cities and towns from Queensland in the north to Tasmania in the south. Employer groups said most workers seemed to have gone to work rather than to rallies, but Martin Pakula of the National Union of Workers called it a proud day for Australia. "This is the most amazing thing that I have ever seen," Pakula said. The so-called proposed Work Choices legislation, which parliament has yet to approve, represents a bid by the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard to rewrite the country's labour laws. Employer groups like it. Unions and the opposition Labor party don't. Among other things, it would let employers deal with employees individually through contracts called Australian Workplace Agreements and free small companies from rules protecting workers from unfair dismissal. The government says the changes would promote flexibility and efficiency and help Australia achieve economic growth with little price inflation. A Senate committee is holding a five-day hearing on the legislation before it's debated in the Upper House. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Australians take to streets to denounce labour bill

CBC || November 17, 2005

Hundreds of thousands of Australians joined protest rallies on Tuesday to denounce a bill that would cut the role of unions and let employers sign individual contracts with workers.

Union leaders are calling it the biggest demonstration in the country's history. The largest gathering was in Melbourne, where organizers said more than 200,000 people took to the streets. Police put the figure at 150,000.

The president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sharan Burrow, told the rally the proposed changes would strip workers of their rights. Unions are ready to fight as never before, she said.

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

There were smaller protests in cities and towns from Queensland in the north to Tasmania in the south.

Employer groups said most workers seemed to have gone to work rather than to rallies, but Martin Pakula of the National Union of Workers called it a proud day for Australia.

"This is the most amazing thing that I have ever seen," Pakula said.

The so-called proposed Work Choices legislation, which parliament has yet to approve, represents a bid by the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard to rewrite the country's labour laws. Employer groups like it. Unions and the opposition Labor party don't.

Among other things, it would let employers deal with employees individually through contracts called Australian Workplace Agreements and free small companies from rules protecting workers from unfair dismissal.

The government says the changes would promote flexibility and efficiency and help Australia achieve economic growth with little price inflation.

A Senate committee is holding a five-day hearing on the legislation before it's debated in the Upper House.

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