General

Trade Union movement

New union ad highlights concerns

A new national union TV ad campaign launched today highlights the growing concern about the effects of the Howard Government's IR laws among older Australians and working parents.

The TV ad portrays three generations of the same Australian family, with a grandfather character explaining that his generation 'fought for things like regular working hours, penalty rates and redundancy pay' while his daughter and grandson worry they are losing their rights at work.

Ad Script
Grandfather: You know - our generation fought for things like regular working hours, penalty rates and redundancy pay.
Mother: Until this year I got overtime pay and had a say on the roster, but John Howard's IR laws changed all that.
Son: I get $11 an hour, no penalty rates, no public holiday rates and no protection from unfair dismissal.
Grandfather: These are meant to be prosperous times, so why is it my grandson has less rights at work than I had?

ACTU President Sharan Burrow and the head of Queensland's Council of Unions, Grace Grace will launch the TV ad in Brisbane today (Thurs 12 July).

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:

"There are very strong concerns about the IR laws among older Australians and parents who are worried about how their children are being treated in the workplace under the new IR laws.

This ad highlights growing unease in the community that the IR laws have given employers too much power and this is badly affecting young and vulnerable workers the most.

People know that penalty rates, public holiday rates and overtime pay have all been cut under the new IR laws and that people have lost a say over the roster.

Many parents and grandparents are also worried about the loss of protection from being sacked unfairly and what this means for young people when they try to negotiate with their boss over pay and conditions or raise a health and safety issue at work," said Ms Burrow.

Qld Council of Unions Secretary Grace Grace said:

"This TV ad will be screened nationally, but has a strong Queensland look and was developed out of extensive research on people's attitudes to the IR laws in Queensland, including focus groups and polling in Brisbane, Gladstone, Townsville, Cairns, Bundaberg and Mackay.

It will be the first in a series of ads specifically aimed at Queenslanders who are concerned about the IR laws and their negative impact on working families."

The ad can be found at http://www.youtube.com/v/EaaFdY46_tE

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/general/20070712_concerns.html
Last Modified: 12 Jul 2007