Unions continue campaign for workers' rights with new TV advertising campaign

The ACTU will continue its conversation with working Australians about their rights at work, through an advertising campaign launched yesterday (Sunday 25 May).

The advertisement, launched yesterday in Melbourne, features real workers talking about what rights they expect to see politicians from all parties support when the Rudd Labor Government changes the IR laws.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:

"This advertisement helps us continue the conversation we started with working Australians two years ago about their rights at work. We're keeping faith with workers who voted out Howard's WorkChoices IR laws.

"We are making sure their views continue to be heard, well after the election by informing them of the progress of the laws and telling them how they can still have their say.

"Just because the Liberal Party was defeated at the last election doesn't mean WorkChoices is dead. Until we see the final legislation we won't know if the rights of working families will be protected, although we are confident the Prime Minister will keep his election promises.

"Until WorkChoices is completely scrapped and a new fair and balanced industrial relations system introduced, the ACTU will continue our discussion with the Australian public.

"Labor's new laws need to restore the rights that were stripped from working Australians under WorkChoices, from unfair dismissal to the rights of unions and collective bargaining," Ms Burrow said.

Working Australians deserve industrial relations laws that give them:

The right to bargain collectively
Protection from unfair dismissal
The right to be represented by a union
Better pay and conditions
The right to a say in their workplace.

"These ads put all politicians on notice - working Australians voted to get rid of John Howard's unfair industrial relations laws and we expect the Rudd Government, the Opposition and all Senators to respect the will of the electorate," Ms Burrow said.