Brit unions back Oz expat vote Labor

Date: 20 November 2007

The British TUC has issued a call to Australians living in the UK to vote to restore workers' rights in the Australian elections which will be held this weekend.

Australians living in the UK can vote from now until Saturday at the Australian High Commission in London. With Australian elections traditionally closely-run contests, the votes of the estimated 500,000 Australians living in the UK could determine who wins.

The current Australian Government under Prime Minister John Howard has slashed workers' rights to overtime pay, holidays and union representation, and has undermined protections against poverty pay and unfair dismissal.

A massive campaign by the TUC's sister organisation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), to give workers their rights back, has become the key issue of the election.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Australians abroad can make a difference to this historic election - more Australians vote in London than at any polling station in Australia. I hope they will vote for a fair go for working families back home.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Back in September, ACTU President Sharan Burrow addressed the TUC Congress in Brighton and won the backing of British trade unionists for the ACTU campaign.

For further information

WWW:	http://www.tuc.org.uk/

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]