Unions will ramp up the campaign to scrap Work Choices and ensure that the rights of Australian workers to collective bargaining are at the centre of a new IR system with the broadcast of two TV advertisements starting this week. The ads will be broadcast over the next six weeks ahead of the expected introduction by the Federal Government of the next stage of its new IR laws. Unions want the Government to establish a comprehensive and workable system of collective bargaining, to provide a strong role for the independent umpire to settle disputes that are hard to resolve, and to give workers a range of important legal and political rights and protections in their workplaces. The advertisements feature real workers highlighting the value of collective bargaining in delivering better pay and conditions as well as improved standards that can benefit the whole community.

The Union is very concerned that the Rudd Govt. is moving to maintain the Howard Govt. ban on “political strikes” which were criminalised by Workchoices. It is important to remember that in the past such strikes have saved essential parts of the social fabric: Medicare was saved after thousands of Australian workers took to the streets, “green bans” saved the Victoria Market in Melbourne, the Domain and Finger wharf in Sydney and many other places of cultural or natural significance, massive stop work rallies were essential in defeating Workchoices. All of these actions would attract criminal penalties under Howard’s IR laws which are still in place.

The Rudd Govt. is being reminded by this campaign that it was elected on a platform of scrapping Workchoices and union members expect this promise to be honoured in full.