Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.

Federal Election - What Now?

By Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary
 Monday 30 August 2010

Caption: Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have very different
agendas in dealing with a hung parliament

The recent Federal Election (21/8) has come and gone.

The important issue for the union movement is to get a result that doesn’t allow the Conservatives and the employers the ability to re-visit WorkChoices–style policies on Australian workplaces.

We should support the ALP forming a government with the independents and the Greens. We should then call on such a government to progressively improve the industrial relations environment.

It should be remembered that it was revealed during the recent election campaign that the Fair Work Act, without legislative change, can still be manipulated by government policy settings, new regulations and ministerial interventions.

There should be no doubt that an Abbott led government would at the very least utilise such options in the IR legislation to the detriment of many organised Australian workers.

In the event that an Abbott government is the final outcome of the current federal parliamentary impasse, then we should begin preparations to create a sustained campaign against any backward steps that would interfere with workers rights at work.

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  • Latest News

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      Invitation to Morning Tea for Equal Pay Day at the Trades Hall Friday 9.30am 3rd September 2010

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    • Make Your VOTE COUNT....VTHC SAYS VOTE 'NO' ABBOTT

      By Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary
      17 August 2010

      We didn’t rally around the country leading up 2007 to see anti-union reactionary Tony Abbott become Prime Minister, three years later!

      When you cut through all the media hype and mis-information the issue is clear cut – it’s a No vote for Abbott.

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    • Nuclear Weapons - An Issue for Everyone

      12 August 2010 by Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary
      Trade unions have a long and proud history of involvement in Australia’s peace and anti-nuclear movement.

      This history has included active opposition to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War and organising against the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

      More recently the Electrical Trades Union decision to ban its members from working in uranium mines, nuclear power stations or any other part of the nuclear fuel cycle shows union opposition to the nuclear industry remains strong.

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    • The Federal Election..........Saturday 21 August 2010...

      What's at Stake?
      27th July 2010
      By Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary
      The federal election is in full swing. 24 hour news services report everything, even the most banal of events and offer commentary.One thing we can agree on, it is not the same as the lead up to 2007. ‘Kevin 07’ is already becoming a distant memory. Tony Abbott now leads the conservative forces and cannot hide his ‘WorkChoices’ DNA.

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    • Brian Boyd : Soap Box

      SECRETARY'S SOAPBOX

      Workers' rights need to improve
      By Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary
      Tuesday 17 August 2010

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  • Inside Trades Hall

  • Current Campaigns - What You Can Do

    • VTHC Climate Change Working Group

      VTHC Climate Change Working Group

      The VTHC Climate change working group was recently established to organise around issues of climate change and resources depletion.   Unions recognise the need for action now to minimize the potentially catastrophic affects of global warming that will occur if we do not act.   However we are committed to ensuring that working people and those less well off in our society are not disadvantaged by adaptation measures.

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    • UFUA Dispute - MFESB in Crisis

      UFUA Dispute - MFESB in Crisis

      The UFU has implemented a campaign website - www.firecrisis.com to enable members of the public to support their firefighters by contacting their local member of parliament by email and requesting that they rectify the current problems with their fire service.

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    • It’s your call: Improving Australian call centres for workers

      It’s your call: Improving Australian call centres for workers

      The ASU has launched a new campaign to improve Australia's call centres for those working in the industry, for more info: www.callcentreunion.com.au. The call centre industry is a major employer in Australia and an integral part of our nation's economy. The ASU wants to make sure all call centre workers enjoy the same, high level working conditions and that all workers are being valued and paid fairly.

    • RTBU - Safer Stations Campaign

      RTBU - Safer Stations Campaign

      The RTBU, has launched a major public safety campaign - www.saferstations.com.au.
      The campaign is centred around calling on the State Government to enhance the safety of rail users by addressing the need for more staff on railway stations.
      A key part of the exercise is the distribution of well-crafted and highly visible giant posters. These posters and other background material can be found on the special campaigns website.

    • Building Industry Rights Campaign Steps Up

      Building Industry Rights Campaign Steps Up

      The ABCC has extraordinary powers to target workers in the building industry. Go to the Rights On Site Website - www.rightsonsite.org.au.

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