Victorian workers have sent a clear message to the Napthine Government that they will not be taken for granted.
ACTU President Ged Kearney said the voices that came through loud and clear in this election were the voices of our paramedics, fire fighters, nurses and other Victorian workers.
“Victorian workers stood together and said loud and clear that they deserve better than a Liberal Government that doesn’t respect them or the work that they do,” Ms Kearney said.
“Victorian workers drove the agenda of this campaign which saw the key issues of jobs, services, wages and conditions front and center.”
Ms Kearney also said that the totally overblown, expensive and relentless attacks on workers by the Federal and State Liberals throughout the Victorian election campaign were comprehensively rejected by Victorians.
“The default position of the Liberal Party when they are under pressure – at State and Federal levels – is to attack workers,” Ms Kearney said.
“Victorian voters rejected the Liberals’ predictable rhetoric in favour of a positive vision for Victoria and a plan to address the jobs crisis, restore services and resolve public sector pay disputes.
“Liberal party candidates and supporters licking their wounds today should be asking their leaders Napthine and Abbott why they have failed so comprehensively in the eyes of voters.”
Ms Kearney said the Abbott Government’s unpopular budget including savage cuts to health and education combined with their clear anti-worker agenda to slash wages and conditions was another contributing factor in the Liberal loss.
“Job security is the number one issue for Australians and yet you have a Prime Minister pursuing a workplace agenda that will cut wages, cut conditions and undermine job security.”
