Rights at Work Campaign to Intensify After High Court Decision

High Court Decision confirms if we are to get rid of the laws we will have to get rid of Howard...

Unions have vowed to intensify their campaign against the Howard Government's industrial relations laws following today's decision by the High Court that has accepted the Federal Government's argument that the new IR laws are legal.

ACTU Secretary, Greg Combet said:

"Today's decision by the High Court means that millions of Australian workers have lost their rights at work.

Workers in small companies, workers in large companies, workers who were previously protected by State IR systems and awards - all have lost their rights.

The High Court has allowed the Howard Government to use its IR laws to strip away 100 years of protection for working families.

These protections saw Australian working families share in the economic good times and have safeguards like the award system and regular wage increases when times got tough.

Under the Coalition Government's IR laws these protections for working Australians are now gone.

The only way now for Australian working families to get some justice and to create a fairer system of industrial relations is by voting the Howard Government out.

These laws need to be torn up and replaced with a fairer system that protects people against being sacked unfairly, provides workers with a decent safety-net of minimum pay and conditions and gives workers a right to bargain collectively.

The way ahead for the ACTU, unions and the millions of Australians who oppose these laws is now clear - we will intensify our campaign for a fair set of industrial relations laws and seek community support for a change of Government," said Mr Combet.

Unions will be staging a major protest against the laws on November 30th at the MCG in Melbourne with the event broadcast to pubs, clubs and rallies around the country. Various South Australian and Northern Territory events are scheduled - see ASU events page.

Rock singer, Jimmy Barnes will perform at the protest rally.