Greens May Day call for right to strike law

[Cate Faehrmann]

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Media Release
May 1, 2004

Greens May Day call for right to strike law

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon speaking at Sydney May Day celebrations today detailed the Greens commitment to the rights of working people and their unions. 

Ms Rhiannon told the May Day rally that "The Greens are ready to work with a future federal Labor government to re-establish worker's rights in this country."

"Repeal of the Workplace Relations Act is at the top of our list. Individual contracts have to go, along with non-union agreements.

"The Greens will also move to reinstate legal recognitions of the right to strike. 

Ms Rhiannon spoke of the history of May Day that stems from strike action in 1886 in the US city of Chicago. Workers striking for an 8 hour day were fired on by police. Four workers were killed and many wounded. 

Ms Rhianon told the rally "It saddens me to speak about the NSW Labor government's moves to dismantle much of this state's rail system. I acknowledge that there are many Labor members who are as concerned as the Greens are that Premier Carr and Minister for Transport Michael Costa are moving to destroy country trains.  

"We must stop the NSW Labor government's push to change Country Link from a train based service to a bus based service, to close many branch lines and to sack hundreds of rail workers. 

"In the past two weeks I have been in northern and western NSW meeting with rail workers, farmers and many local communities to forge a strong alliance to save our rail services. 

"This is a critical campaign we must win. Public transport is a fundamental right," Ms Rhiannon said. 




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