[Greens-Media] Greens Media Release: Western Suburbs Labor Council falls into line with John Howard’s Industrial Relations Laws

[Greens Victoria Media]

Media Release: for immediate use
Tuesday August 29, 2006
Contact: Colleen Hartland on (mob) 0400 043 881

Western Suburbs Labor Council falls into line with John Howard’s 
Industrial Relations Laws

Brimbank Council, dominated by Labor Party Councillors, has flunked it's 
first test on the Federal Government's WorkChoices laws. Last week, the 
Greens gave Brimbank's Labor Councillors the opportunity to condemn John 
Howard's industrial relations laws, but they refused to take up the 
challenge*.

“It's amazing that western suburbs councils like Brimbank remain mute 
about federal industrial relations laws that strip workers rights,” said 
Colleen Hartland, the Greens Western Metropolitan Upper House candidate. 
"It’s pretty clear that the Greens are much stronger on IR when a 
council, almost completely made up of Labor Party councillors, dodged 
the chance to add its voice to the community’s opposition to these laws."

“Workers living in the Western Metropolitan Region are feeling the pinch 
of Howard’s I.R. laws - they face growing job insecurity, lower wages 
and longer hours at work," said Colleen Hartland. "This was a perfect 
opportunity for Brimbank Council to show its support for workers and 
employment standards.”

"The Greens in parliament will work to reverse the impact of Canberra's 
destructive work place laws on Victorian workers. The Greens are 
committed to returning Victoria’s industrial relations powers, 
transferred to Canberra by a Jeff Kennett's Liberal Party government," 
said Colleen Hartland.

Major commitments in the Greens Victorian Industrial Relations and 
Employment Policy* include:
- Establishing a State Industrial Relations Commission, with the power 
to make Awards, register collective agreements between unions and 
employers, and settle disputes,
- Legislating to protect minimum employment conditions and moving state 
public sector employees outside the federal system,
- Protecting the right to strike, union access to workers in their 
workplaces and removing employers' ability to sue over industrial 
action, and
- Encouraging working arrangements that improve family life.

For more information and comment, please contact:
Colleen Hartland on (mob) 0400 043 881
or
Dave Lane on (mob) 0419 156 213

Background:
* At the last meeting of the Last week, Brimbank City Council (Tuesday 
August 22, 2006) the Greens asked Council to show leadership and commit 
to protecting the pay and conditions of council workers by opposing the 
Federal Government "WorkChoices" legislation. Not a single councillor 
that went to last year’s council elections under the "Community Labor" 
banner was willing to second the motion condemning the Howard 
government’s IR laws.

** The Greens Victorian Industrial Relations and Employment Policy
http://vic.greens.org.au/content/about-the-greens/policy/060626_IR%20policy.pdf 


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