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Federal Election must see Howard Government defeated Monday 15 October 2007

More than eleven years of arch-conservative rule in Canberra has seen the rights of working Australians reduced dramatically.

The sustained legislative and policy attack on workers’ ability to organise in order to maintain hard won gains (never mind improve on them), has had its impact.

Australian trade unions have been restricted in how they now represent their respective constituencies.

Two examples are suffice to illustrate this point:

a) Collective Enterprise Bargaining in workplaces has been particularly targeted by Howard’s IR laws and the employer associations have enthusiastically utilised these laws, they helped to design in the first place, to spread AWA's;
b) The right of entry of union organisers has also been severely limited by employers keen to reduce the strength of ‘collective culture’ amongst workers.

The gutting of the AIRC and removal of substantial awards safety nets have added to the atmosphere of uncertainty across the country.

Back in 1929 the then conservative Prime Minister Stanley Bruce went to a federal election on a policy of disbanding the Commonwealth Arbitration Court and ending wage protection for workers.

78 years ago the conservatives lost that election and Stanley Bruce even lost his seat. 

Nevertheless, it’s always important to emphasise the union movement never hitches it’s role to the result of any particular parliamentary electoral cycle.  An effective, independent and vocal trade union movement is a democratic necessity under any government.  But at certain points in history it is important to be more involved in the political process, when the attacks on working people are particularly harsh and unjust.  In 2007 this is such a scenario.  Howard has made it his life’s work to attack organised labour.

It is important to end this mission on behalf of big business and globalisation in general.

Post-election the work of trade unions will be ongoing.  To win back lost ‘rights at work’ will remain crucial, unfinished business.

Let’s see John Howard off as part of this task, with our contribution to the ACTU’s marginal seats campaign now the important thing to do.