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Mass rallies to demand an end to Australia's draconian industrial relations laws
29 November 2006
Hundreds of thousands of working families - and trade unions - are taking to the streets across Australia tomorrow to express their disgust over the regressive labour laws introduced by the Howard government.
All major Australian cities and scores of the country’s regional centres will be the focus of rallies organised by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). The rallies are in protest against the laws, which were rammed through parliament last year, defying popular opinion. Since they were introduced, wages have been slashed, job security threatened and working conditions undermined.
The focus of the national protest will be a historic rally at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) that will involve union and community leaders, as well as prominent comedians and singers.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: "This will be Australia's biggest ever simultaneous community protest with more than three hundred localities being linked up by satellite with the MCG rally.
She added: “Unions are determined to wage a long campaign to build community support for fair industrial relations laws that respect the rights of workers and safeguard the jobs and lifestyles of Australian working families.”
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft commented: “Australia’s traditions of democracy, decency and fairness have stood out as a benchmark for many other countries. This legislation undermines those proud traditions. We condemn this attack as a threat not only to fundamental workers’ rights and decent work standards in Australia, but to workers rights and standards around the world. That’s why the ITF is lending its total backing to the struggle of Australian workers and their unions to see these draconian labour laws scrapped.”
The protests are taking place in the context of the impending general election next year.
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