The Guardian 15 August, 2007
Howard IR laws
also target state public sector
Richard Titelius
For some time complacency has been breeding in the state public sector of Western Australia and across other state public sectors around Australia towards Howard’s WorkChoices and AWAs. There is a belief that these laws will not affect them as their awards and conditions are governed by a state system.
The ACTU, Unions WA and Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU/CSA) recently held a briefing to shake that complacency. It gave delegates from across the State Public Sector a clear message: if Howard is re-elected he has plans to move every worker, including public servants, onto AWAs and into the Federal system.
Unions WA Secretary Dave Robinson said, "The Howard Government and big business want to do this even in a booming economy as they want to have workers compliant, weak and unorganised so that they are unable to resist their attacks".
As part of the campaign to get across the impact that low rates of unionism and minimum legislative protection would have, three low wage workers from the US were invited to give their stories of what life is like for them and their families in the richest country in the world.
Delegates saw a video of the communities and homes where these workers lived, including the ubiquitous trailer homes to be found on the fringes of most American towns and cities.
African American South Carolina janitor Allen White lives with his mother and 16-year-old son 48 kilometres from his job, the cost of petrol adding to his burdens. He has been working in the same job for 11 years and is paid US$9.00 per hour, clearing $220.00 per week, and receives one week’s annual leave.
Like many working at the wrong end of the job market he needs to balance his bills on a weekly basis, deciding whether to pay the gas bill and other utilities or buy necessary prescription medication as well as giving a 16-year-old teenager some of the things he wants.
African-American mother-of-three Iris Flores drives a school bus and also works in janitorial services (for US$10.89 an hour) as a second job. She is one of the 47 million Americans who can not afford health insurance.
On one occasion, Delores had to be off work for six weeks without pay on top of which she had to meet all the medical expenses which amounted to over $400.
Delores McCoy, a white 74-year-old grandmother who is still working to help pay the bills. She had a unionised job up until 1986 when the company was sold. Wages were reduced as the union lost the right to represent workers there.
After an 18-month fight the union was allowed back in and Delores now has her health insurance back, a more reasonable salary of US$501 per week in addition to four weeks annual vacation leave (though there is no long service leave and no sick leave).
The message was that you will have to fight to keep what you have got.
Delegates were given a glimpse of how the Workplace Ombudsman operates in Australia. Former Harvey Fresh worker Lolita Lamberto was still waiting for a satisfactory response to an underpayment of $3,500 in wages and allowances after five months. Ms Lamberto, who was not a member of a union at the time she worked for Harvey Fresh, has since joined a union and now works at a bakery in Canning Vale which is covered by an industrial agreement.
This puts paid to messages from those expensive and flashy ads by the Workplace Authority starring its new Director Barbara Bennett that workers can come to the Authority for efficient advice and protection.
The reality is that rights and protections of workers will only be achieved through the solidarity and struggle of the working class through the collective and mass actions of their organisations which form the trade union movement.
Through unity and solidarity workers in the public sector and all sectors of the workforce will maintain what we have fought so hard to protect to this day and also hand over a worthwhile legacy to our children in the next generation.