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.

Abbott and Liberals exposed as having no plan to close the pay gap for working women 27.07.10 | Media Release | Equal Pay The pay equity gap between men and women would not be closed by a Liberal Opposition which is more interested in exploiting it to reduce the cost of its unrealistic paid parental leave scheme.

Workers’ job and income security will be better protected under new Labor plan 25.07.10 | Media Release | Jobs, Rights & GFC Hard-earned entitlements of working Australians will be more secure as a result of the Labor Government’s plan to improve the protection of entitlements and crack down on unscrupulous corporate behaviour.

Clear majority of voters do not trust Tony Abbott on IR laws; new TV ads begin today 25.07.10 | Media Release | WorkChoices - Never Again Almost three in four Australians do not trust Tony Abbott’s statements that he would not change workplace laws if he became Prime Minister, according to a new national poll.

Too many fatalities on the waterfront; unions call for urgent taskforce to improve safety 23.07.10 | Media Release | Health & Safety Workplace safety on Australian waterfronts must be overhauled to stem the mounting death toll among stevedoring workers.

New climate change plan will protect jobs and create opportunities for local industry 23.07.10 | Media Release | Clean Energy Jobs Tens of thousands of Australian jobs will be better protected and the future of our energy sector and broader economy will be more secure as a result of the Labor Government’s climate change plan.

Liberals can do much more than ‘tweak’ Fair Work laws and can’t be trusted 22.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices Community volunteers will take to the streets of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in a blitz to inform commuters of the almost 200 ways in which Abbott could change Fair Work laws, allowing aspects of WorkChoices to slip in through the back door.

Labor’s schools-based apprenticeships welcome while Liberals are asleep at the wheel 21.07.10 | Media Release Young Australians will have better opportunities to get an apprenticeship and pursue a career in the traditional trades as a result of the Labor Government’s plan to improve skills and trades training in our schools.

Abbott’s “tweaks” leave back door open for worst of WorkChoices to return 20.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices The worst of WorkChoices could return to Australian workplaces through changes to regulations and ‘tweaks’ that do not require legislative amendment.

Abbott’s slash and burn approach to the economy would jeopardise the recovery and jobs 20.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices Tony Abbott’s plan to slash a further $1 billion from public spending would send the economy in a dangerous direction and threaten thousands of jobs for working Australians.

Abbott is changing his tune on WorkChoices just to ‘win an election’: can’t be trusted 19.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices Liberal leader Tony Abbott’s stated position on the reintroduction of WorkChoices changes from minute to minute and shows working Australians cannot trust anything he says.

Tony Abbott admits workers will be worse off from Coalition’s IR plans 18.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices Tony Abbott’s refusal to guarantee no worker would be worse off under a Coalition government is a further sign he will bring back WorkChoices.

Rights for working Australians is key issue for 2010 election 17.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices This federal election is about the rights of all working Australians and the threat of a future return to WorkChoices under the Coalition.

Coalition and WorkChoices pose big risks to jobs and Australia’s economic recovery 15.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices The biggest clouds on the horizon for working Australians are Tony Abbott’s plans to change the economic policy directions of the country and bring back the worst aspects of WorkChoices.

Labor’s strong record on jobs and the economy contrasts with the Coalition’s return to WorkChoices 14.07.10 | Media Release | Don't go back to work choices Today’s economic statement from the Federal Government confirms that Australia’s recovery is on track with 475,000 new jobs to be created over the next two years.

Minimum hours decision confirms award safety net; now Abbott and the Liberals must do the same 09.07.10 | Media Release More than 2 million Australian casual workers have had their wages protected after a tribunal decision to maintain a minimum three-hour call out in the retail sector.