Jobs Threat If Libs Win

The following opinion piece by AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten was published in the Sunday Herald Sun on November 19, 2006.

THIS week's High Court decision upholding the legality of the WorkChoices legislation has made the re-election of the Bracks Government more important than ever.

Make no mistake. Canberra's industrial relations laws are supported by Liberals throughout Australia -- none more so than Ted Baillieu.

A Liberal Government in Victoria would work hand-in-glove with the Commonwealth to implement its extreme industrial relations agenda.

Without a State Labor Government to stand up for them, all Victorian families would be at risk of losing their basic workplace rights and conditions, including overtime pay, penalty rates, leave loading and flexible family provisions.

In the Victorian Parliament, the Liberals have repeatedly opposed Steve Bracks's legislation to protect working families' conditions threatened by WorkChoices. In fact, they have done so 10 times since 2003.

The Liberals have voted against Bills to:

PROTECT award conditions for Victorian public sector employees, including overtime pay, penalty rates and leave loading.

ALLOW unfair dismissal rules for public sector employees in workplaces of fewer than 100 people.

IMPROVE the safety net for outworkers.

ALLOW Victorian employees earlier access to long-service leave.

CREATE an Office of Workplace Rights Advocate, to provide information and support for working families affected by WorkChoices.

These protections would be overturned by the Liberals if they were elected in Victoria.

Send a message next Saturday -- that we want a fair go for everyone in the workplace, not cuts to wages and conditions, and loss of job security.

The Liberals' anti-worker agenda was also highlighted this week when Ted Baillieu announced his plan to sack thousands of public servants to help pay for his reckless election promises.

This would be a repeat of destructive Kennett government policies that sacked tens of thousands of nurses, teachers and other public sector employees.

It would be a disaster not only for the employees and their families, but for all Victorians who depend on government to provide high-quality community services in health, education and community safety and transport.

The Liberals have announced they would cut at least 3000 jobs in the public service.

Ted Baillieu says the cuts are necessary to help pay for his election promises -- pledges that add up to far more than his $2.1 billion costing. Labor estimates their real cost over the next four years at $7.4 billion.

The Liberals would have no choice but to cut jobs and services as they did in the early 1990s.