The Guardian 28 November, 2007
Workers who protect us
The ACTU has run a series of weekly themed actions in the lead-up to the elections. In week six of the election the theme was "workers who protect us" these include police, fire brigade and other emergency workers. The NSW Fire Brigade Employees’ Union (FBEU) was the main organising group which organised the North Sydney rally outside the office of Joe Hockey’s (the workplace relations minister) held on November 22.
Over 300 Fire Brigade officers gathered at North Sydney Oval and then marched to Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey’s office through the main streets of the busy North Sydney CBD. The sight of so many emergency services workers in full safety gear was very impressive. WorkChoices is a threat to all workers and even to these workers who are so essential for our community.
The reps from the FBEU, including the State Secretary Simon Flynn, as the main organisers drove the message home that WorkChoices is disastrous for all workers including emergency workers. There were reps from the Police Union and others from the local Your Rights at Work and the Transport Workers’ Union.
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle addressed the rally and talked about the dangers of WorkChoices. Kerry also pointed out that with the onset of global Warming fires will be more severe and dangerous and the men and women before her would be on the frontline. She therefore, urged the workers to consider both action on WorkChoices and global warming as they went into the polling booth.