New research conducted by the Australian Council of Trade Unions shows that the public are deeply opposed to the Howard Government's new IR laws, and that the community believe the laws show the Government is acting in the interests of big business over the rights of Australian working families. The ACTU conducted the polling of 1,000 voters in 24 key coalition held marginal seats in late February, early March as part of the union movement's ongoing campaign against the new IR laws which commence today. The research shows that less than one in four Australians support the laws, and that almost 70% believe that while the laws will benefit big corporations and CEOs they will hurt ordinary families. Key findings include: * 72% of voters support unfair dismissal laws that protect workers. * 59% of voters believe that "the Government's new IR laws alone are a strong reason to vote against the Government" at the next federal election. * 70% believe that individual contracts give too much power to the employer. * 68% agree that the new laws are strong evidence that John Howard governs more for corporate Australian than for ordinary working families. * 60% agree that collective bargaining means better job security for workers. * 66% believe that the laws are a threat to every working family. ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: "Today, Australian working families lose unfair dismissal laws, the strong award system, the safety net, the right to a minimum wage, laws that protect the right to collectively bargain, and laws that have ensured fair representation by unions at the workplace. "The public are asking why the Government would introduce laws that are so obviously designed to take working families wages and conditions backwards, and to remove basic rights for workers at the workplace. "Despite $50 million of Government advertising and a year of spin, the public is aware that the Government is introducing these laws to benefit big business at the expense of ordinary working families."