Published: 9 Nov 2010
Maritime Union joins protest over Rann Government's attack on workers' right.
The Maritime Union of Australia has slammed the Rann Government for attacking workers' entitlements and conditions.
MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said legislation due to be passed in the South Australian Parliament today (TUESDAY) would undermine collective bargaining powers and attack workers' rights.
"The MUA has joined forces with the Public Sector unions and South Australian unions, the ACTU and other ALP-affiliated union bodies, to fight to reverse the Rann Government's decision to legislate away workers' entitlements such as long service leave and leave loadings," Mr Crumlin said.
"It is extraordinary that a Labor Government would make a move like this to undermine collective bargaining and attack workers' rights.
"It seems that this Government would rather ram through legislation than negotiate on these issues, and that is a sad reflection of how this Government has lost its way. It needs a wake up call to restore itself to its Labor values."
Mr Crumlin noted that ACTU President Ged Kearney had accused Mike Rann of using the same industrial tactics as former Coalition Prime Minister John Howard.
"That is a sad state of affairs when a State Labor Premier is depicted in this way, but I wholeheartedly agree with these sentiments," he said.
"I would hope that Mike Rann is still a long way from becoming John Howard, but these appear to be remarkably similar tactics that he is using in this instance."
