Brisbane Bullets v Childcare workers

Date: 13 May 2004

The multi-million dollar ABC Child Care company was assailed in Federal Parliament last night for favouring its $200,000 sponsorship package witb the Brisbane Bullets basketball team over paying decent and respectable wages to its 660 Victorian workers.

" The management would rather get flashy court side seats at a basketball game than pay its employees decent, respectable wages," Michael Danby, the Federal MP for Melbourne Ports, said last night.

Mr Danby told Parliament that during hearings in Melbourne on Wednesday into the LHMU Child Care Union claim for work value for Victorian child care workers an executive officer and Director of ABC Child Care was asked under cross-examination about their sponsorship of the Brisbane Bullets.

" He was asked,given that his company was opposing the pay rise, if ABC child-care centers would consider dropping its sponsorship and use the money to pay the salary rise for its employees. The answer was no. This company values sponsorship of a basketball team above its own staff, as seen by their wages," Mr Danby told Parliament.

Mr Danby pointed out that the approximately 250 ABC Child Care centre group was one of the biggest commercial child-care companies, whose chairman is former Liberal candidate Sally Anne-Atkinson.

Meanwhile Senator Penny Wong from South Australia yesterday pointed out in the Senate that while childcare workers would get no tax relief from the Howard Government's Budget the Treasurer himself will get a tax cut of $42 a week.

Senator Wong made the point during a question to Senator Minchin the Minister for Finance and Administration and asked why the Howard Government maintained the tax slug on the lowest paid workers caring for our children, including taking a third of their $19 minimum wage increase awarded last week.

The LHMU proudly represents around 130,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia

Sue Bellino, LHMU Child Care Union National Industrial Officer - 040 018 8825 or 02 8204 7212

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union
Phone:	8204 7206
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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