Media releases ACTU media enquiries Mark Phillips Media Coordinator T: (03) 8676 7266 F: (03) 9600 0050 M: 0422 009 011 mphillips@actu.org.au Amanda Nguyen Media and Communications Project Officer T: (03) 9664 7326   F: (03) 9600 0050 M: 0418 479 455 anguyen@actu.org.au Our media releases below are ordered chronologically. Use the advanced search to find releases on specific topics or subscribe to updates and have media releases sent to your email.

Workplace rights key to election – Australian public again send message about industrial relations 22.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again The ACTU today said that Australian people have sent a clear message during this election that their rights at work matter, and they will not support parties that are committed to policies which undermine workers’ pay, conditions and rights.

Farcical Liberal industrial relations “policy” treats working Australians with contempt 20.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Tony Abbott has again showed today that he cannot be trusted by working Australians by refusing to release a detailed industrial relations policy before people vote.

ACTU chiefs search far and wide for missing Liberal IR spokesman and his policy 20.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again The President and Secretary of the ACTU have clocked up thousands of kilometres scouring the country for the missing Liberal industrial relations spokesman Eric Abetz, and have now issued a reward to anyone who finds him before polling day.

Workers to rally in western Sydney in final election protest against Liberals’ job cuts and IR policies 20.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Hundreds of workers will rally in western Sydney today in a final protest against the Liberals’ plans for thousands of job cuts and a return to WorkChoices by the back door.

Universities could again be at the frontline of Liberals’ industrial relations agenda 17.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Unions are determined to prevent a repeat of the abuse of Commonwealth funding by the Coalition to pursue individual contracts in the tertiary education sector.

More than half-a-million Queensland workers could be hit hard by Liberals’ workplace plans 17.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Unions are conducting an urgent series of workplace meetings across the State this week to remind Queenslanders about the risk of a return to WorkChoices and job cuts under the Coalition.

Unions congratulate Crumlin on new global role 16.08.10 | Media Release Australian unions congratulate the National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, Paddy Crumlin, on his election as President of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).

Liberals’ silence on IR is deafening: just what has Tony Abbott promised big business? 15.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again The big business and employer wish list for changes that would reduce rights at work lifts the lid on what Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party have planned if they win the 2010 election.

High stakes election for workers with up to $150,000 extra in retirement at risk & return of WorkChoices 13.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again In a last ditch attempt to inform voters of the dangers of a return to WorkChoices and a massive cut to their retirement incomes after the election, unions will hold an urgent series of meetings with workers across western Sydney.

Canberra and whole ACT economy will suffer under Abbott’s plan to shed public sector jobs 13.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Tony Abbott’s plan to slash jobs in the Federal Government will have a devastating impact that will resonate far beyond the public service to jobs in the service sector and small business in the ACT.

New online video asks what kinds of policies is Tony Abbott trying to smuggle in his speedos? 12.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Just what kind of budgies is Tony Abbott hiding in his speedos? That’s the question posed by the ACTU’s latest video advertisement, which uses humour to raise awareness about the Coalition’s plans to bring back WorkChoices.

Average workers to pay more while millionaires get $15,000 tax cut: new Liberal tax policy reveals the ‘real’ Tony Abbott 09.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again A new Liberal tax policy reported today would deliver a massive tax cut for millionaires while average workers would pay more.

Barnett and Abbott hiding secret plan to bring back WorkChoices for West Australian workers 09.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again The West Australian Liberal leader Colin Barnett and his federal counterpart Tony Abbott are hiding a secret plan to bring back WorkChoices for West Australian workers.

Time for Tony Abbott to tell Australians the truth. Where is his IR policy? 04.08.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again The Liberal Party’s failure to still release an industrial relations policy halfway into the election campaign is a re-run of the deception of the Howard Government over WorkChoices.

Reserve bank decision to leave rates on hold is further proof of Labor’s economic credentials 03.08.10 | Media Release | Jobs, Rights & GFC Today’s decision by the Reserve Bank board to leave interest rates on hold will be welcomed by working Australians and is another tick of approval for the national economy.