Grandparents concerns on TV ad

Date: 12 July 2007

A new national union TV ad campaign launched today highlights the growing concern about the effects of the Howard Government's IR laws among older Australians and working parents.

The TV ad portrays three generations of the same Australian family, with a grandfather character explaining that his generation 'fought for things like regular working hours, penalty rates and redundancy pay' while his daughter and grandson worry they are losing their rights at work.

Ad Script

Grandfather: You know - our generation fought for things like regular working hours, penalty rates and redundancy pay.

Mother: Until this year I got overtime pay and had a say on the roster, but John Howard's IR laws changed all that.

Son: I get $11 an hour, no penalty rates, no public holiday rates and no protection from unfair dismissal.

Grandfather: These are meant to be prosperous times, so why is it my grandson has less rights at work than I had?

Older Australians and parents worried about work laws

"There are very strong concerns about the IR laws among older Australians and parents who are worried about how their children are being treated in the workplace under the new IR laws," ACTU President Sharan Burrow said.

" This ad highlights growing unease in the community that the IR laws have given employers too much power and this is badly affecting young and vulnerable workers the most.

" People know that penalty rates, public holiday rates and overtime pay have all been cut under the new IR laws and that people have lost a say over the roster.

Worried about how the young can negotiate for decent work rights

"This TV ad will be screened nationally, but has a strong Queensland look and was developed out of extensive research on people's attitudes to the IR laws in Queensland, including focus groups and polling in Brisbane, Gladstone, Townsville, Cairns, Bundaberg and Mackay," Qld Council of Unions Secretary Grace Grace said.

" It will be the first in a series of ads specifically aimed at Queenslanders who are concerned about the IR laws and their negative impact on working families."

For further information

Contact:	Ian Wilson
Union:	ACTU
Contact Mobile:	0408 513 849
WWW:	http://www.actu.asn.au/

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