Rights for workers election issue

Date: 17 July 2010

This federal election is about the rights of all working Australians and the threat of a future return to WorkChoices under the Coalition, say unions.

Australian unions welcome the announcement today by Prime Minister Julia Gillard of a federal election on August 21, said ACTU President Ged Kearney.

Ms Kearney said the 2010 election will be a referendum on the rights of people to have job security and decent working conditions.

"In this election working Australians have a clear choice between the Coalition which brought in WorkChoices and Labor which restored rights and protected jobs during the Global Financial Crisis.

"Unions will be campaigning in the election to ensure working Australians know the facts about the Coalition's record of attacking workers' rights and putting jobs and services for working families at risk.

"Australia's economy is the best-performing in the developed world and 1000 new jobs a week have been created since the end of WorkChoices and the introduction of Labor's Fair Work laws.

"Real wages have grown with low paid workers gaining a $26 a week pay increase and productivity is almost four times higher than under the Liberals' last year in government.

"The Labor Government deserves credit for making a very solid start considering the difficulties of the GFC and working Australians and unions will expect more from its next term.

"The election of a Tony Abbott government will hurt working families.

"The Coalition opposes stimulus measures that are protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs and will cut government funding for jobs, infrastructure and important health and education services that families rely upon.

"The Coalition will abandon the National Broadband Network and other infrastructure projects and skills programs that are essential to drive national productivity.

"Workers will also be denied financial security in retirement by the Coalition's refusal to support Labor's move to increase national superannuation to 12%," said Ms Kearney.

For further information

Contact:	Mark Phillips
Union:	ACTU Media Co-ordinator
Contact Mobile:	0422 009 011
WWW:	http://www.actu.org.au/Media/Mediareleases/RightsforworkingAustraliansiskeyissuefor2010election.aspx

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