Transport workers rally against industrial laws
By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — Members of the Transport Workers Union rallied here on July 17 to protest against the federal government's repressive industrial laws and warn of further action if transport companies use these laws against their workers.
About 600 TWU members and delegates held the fifth stop-work meeting in a series, authorising strike action against the government and employers.
Queensland TWU secretary Hughie Williams said members feared national transport companies would use the legislation to avoid paying penalty rates. The Workplace Relations Act also makes it attractive for employers to replace union members on awards with non-union labour.
"If companies do use the legislation to the full extent then the Transport Workers Union will rebel again", Williams said. "The good roll-up of members showed there is a lot of anger toward the federal government's stripping back of awards and taking away workers' rights", he told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly.
Resolutions passed at the meeting condemned the government's "anti-worker legislation", warned against companies using the laws to "financially cripple" the TWU and authorised further industrial action "if and when required".
Taking money away from workers would not help the economy in a period of high unemployment, Williams said. He added that the state union would encourage other branches to push for a nationwide campaign on the issue.