Media Release  
Peg Putt MHA
Greens Opposition Leader
Lead Candidate for Denison

Thursday, 23 February 2006

MAJORITY AT UNIONS TASMANIA A DOORMAT FOR LABOR MATES

Call for Workers to Make Their Own Judgement on Policies

The Tasmanian Greens today said that the decision of Unions Tasmania to ignore the Greens’ better Industrial Relations policies, instead recommending only a vote for Labor by saying they support a majority Labor government, shows that the Union Leadership in Tasmania is indeed more interested in supporting Labor mates than in advancing the best interests of workers.

Greens Opposition Leader, Peg Putt MHA, said the bizarre rationale that the Greens would somehow support Rene Hidding and the Liberals in implementing Howard’s IR changes was offensive and untrue, which the President and Secretary of Unions Tasmania were well aware of, as she and Nick McKim had given their word personally to them that Howard’s ideological attack on workers would not be an item on which the Greens would move.

Ms Putt pointed out that the Greens were the only party to have released an IR policy so far this election, that not only were they committed to remedy the harsh workers compensation laws of Paul Lennon, but that they also have promised to create a crime of industrial manslaughter, something which Unions Tasmania want but which Labor is not yet prepared to back.

The Greens also said that Unions Tasmania had no excuse for not understanding that the Greens IR stance could give backbone to a Labor minority government or could restrain the anti-worker excesses of Liberals.

“Unions Tasmania are effectively asking workers to give Lennon a mandate to continue to ignore them on workers, compensation, industrial manslaughter, good faith bargaining, and pay parity when the Greens are firmly committed on these important matters as well as being staunch against Howard’s IR attack,” Ms Putt said.

“We appeal to working men and women to compare our Industrial Relations policy to Labors before they vote and we ask that workers vote in their own best interests instead of the best interests of the majority at the top end of the union movement.”

“It is completely untrue that the Greens would ever be part of helping put Howard’s repugnant attack on workers into place, which the two top officials at Unions Tasmania know full well because Nick McKim and myself gave our guarantee to them in person that this would not be on the table in any negotiations.”

“The recommendation should have been to not vote Liberal, but just as unions were wedged by John Howard in the Federal election they have now been wedged by Paul Lennon.”

“We are distressed that it is not best policy that carries the day with Unions Tasmania and offended at what seems a deliberate failure to take on board that where industrial relations is concerned we could give backbone to Labor, or modify the excesses of the Liberals, if there is a balance of power situation.”

Ms Putt recognised that not all Union Leaders had supported the resolution ‘to adopt a policy position of support for a majority Labor government’, and thanked those who had held out for a fairer position.

“The willingness of the Greens to join a Liberal minority government”??  The Greens stating that they will support the will of the people and work to deliver good governance to the state does not equate to them saying they will fall into like with the policies of the Liberal party!  The Greens’ workplace relations policy is streets ahead of those of both Labor and Liberal when it comes to protecting working people - I’d like to know the real reason why the union bosses are supporting Labor.
93 St John Street
Launceston   TAS   7250
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The Tasmanian Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance delegate to the Union Tasmania Council meeting in Hobart yesterday abstained from voting on this resolution.

The Alliance does not, cannot and would not endorse any political party during an election campaign, nor would it support any resolution which could be perceived as giving journalists’ support to one party over another.

Margaretta Pos
MEAA Tasmania Branch president.

Since when have ordinary workers supported the loss of viability of workers’ living and working environments?