Australia-wide Hookup
27 October 2005
As part of a national day to protect your rights at work, unions will hold a satellite hookup using the Sky Channel network to link up workers in major cities and regional centres across Australia. The hook-up will feature a briefing on the details of the Howard Governments proposed industrial relations changes and what they will mean for working Australians.

For your nearest venue and start times
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Community rallies and marches will also take place on 15 November, in most cases following peoples participation in the national hook-up.

As well as screenings at major venues in all capital cities, the broadcast will be beamed to workers in rural and regional areas with local union branches arranging screenings in clubs, sporting venues, community centres, and other convenient locations.

Sharan Burrow, ACTU President said: "We encourage anyone who wants to find out more about the changes to read the brief information below and attend the Australia-wide hook-up."

Your workplace rights are under attack

Contrary to the Governments deceitful WorkChoices advertising the rights of Australian workers will not be protected:

Unfair dismissal 3.6 million Australians NOT PROTECTED

More than 3.6 million Australians who work in businesses with less than 100 staff will lose their right to protection from unfair dismissal. A union or individual that even asks an employer to guarantee employees will not be unfairly dismissed can be fined $33,000 by the Government. Unlawful termination laws provide no protection for workers from the most common forms of unfair sacking.

AWAs that cut take home pay Australian workers NOT PROTECTED

Any worker at any time can be put on to an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) individual contract that cuts take home pay and removes conditions like overtime, penalty rates, meal breaks, public holidays, weekend rates and redundancy pay.

Your existing pay and employment conditions NOT PROTECTED

Workers covered by an existing award, enterprise agreements, certified agreements or collective agreements will not be protected. AWAs that reduce existing entitlements can be offered to any current employees at any time.

Cost of living increases to minimum wages NOT PROTECTED

The current yearly review of minimum wages by the Industrial Relations Commission will be scrapped. The Prime Minister has refused to guarantee that the real value of minimum wages will be maintained.

Union rights NOT PROTECTED

The access of union representatives to workplaces will be severely restricted and in some cases banned. Fines for individual workers and unions will be increased. Workers in the construction industry will be able to be jailed up to 6 months if they refuse to attend secret interrogations or answer questions.

Collective bargaining rights NOT PROTECTED

No Australian worker will have any legally enforceable right to bargain collectively with their employer. Even if 100% of employees in a workplace are union members and want a collective agreement an employer will have the legal right to refuse to even discuss a collective agreement and insist that every worker signs an AWA individual contract.

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