New national alliance for low -paid

Date: 24 August 2004

Australia's number one union giving a voice to low-paid workers - the LHMU - and one of the largest Australian organisations advocating for the poor - the Brotherhood of St Laurence - have come together in a $500,000 project to develop a new understanding about this nation's low-paid jobs - especially in the growing service sector.

" Because of the growth of low-paid and precarious jobs our two organisations now share a common constituency - that of low-paid workers who are the new working poor," Jeff Lawrence, LHMU National Secretary, said today.

MEDIA ALERT

Launch of Low Pay Project

Date: August 25, 2004

Time: 10.15 am

Place: Stamford Plaza Hotel, 150 North Terrace, Adelaide

" This new alliance will build, over the next four years, a strong understanding, and a strident voice in our communities, to promote, discuss and debate the growth of low-paid jobs in service industries, and the implications for workplaces, households and communities."

The Low Pay Project brings together academic researchers across three universities in three states, the LHMU, three State Trades and Labor Councils and a large community organisation to develop this new understanding about low paid jobs.

The project is funded by the Australian Research Council, and the participating organisations, with a total budget of $511,703. The project will run for 4 years over which researchers will examine the spread of low-paid jobs in Australia.

In addition to major reports the project includes state and national forums on the crisis of low-paid jobs in Australia. These reports and forums aim to generate discussion about low pay amongst unions, government, non-government organisations and the broader community.

The Low Pay Project will be formally launched at the LHMU's National Council meeting in Adelaide, South Australia.

The launch is scheduled for 10.15 am, Wednesday August 25 at the Stamford Plaza Hotel, 150 North Terrace, Adelaide.

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

For more info:

- Mr. Jeff Lawrence, National Secretary, LHMU (ph 0425 242 724)

- Dr. Barb Pocock, Uni of Adelaide (ph 0414 244 606)

- Prof. Paul Smyth, General Manager for Social Action and Research, Brotherhood of St Laurence and Professorial Fellow of Social Policy at the University of Melbourne (ph 0404 080 425)

- Janet Giles, Secretary, SA United Trades and Labor Council (ph 0419 825 845)

- Jodie Hughes - South Australian Childcare worker 0439 687 990

- Russell Spencer - South Australian cleaner 8340 1031

- Arthur Trimopoulos - South Australian cleaner 0417 865 458

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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