Say NO to Howard’s IR laws
There is no doubt that Howard, and the corporate interests he represents, have suffered early public relations setbacks in the industrial relations (IR) debate. A successful ACTU advertising campaign coupled with good turnouts at rallies and all union delegates meetings seem to have caught the Federal Government slightly off guard.
By Erinn Sales, UNITE Melbourne
Evidence that the union message is gaining traction is provided by recent Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) polling. Released on 5 September, the poll of 600 employees found that 62% of workers believe they will be worse off under the AWA individual contracts promoted in the Federal Government’s industrial relations plans. Sixty-two percent are also concerned that individual contracts give all the power to employers. The success and depth of the PR campaign can be largely attributed to pressure applied to the ACTU and other union leaderships by workers. However, the campaign won’t be confined to the media forever. Pressure from the ranks will also be the key factor as the campaign moves into its next phase.
Given that the Federal Government’s agenda is being determined by the profit interests of big business, it is how the campaign develops industrially that will really determine its outcome. Howard and the bosses are definitely squirming over the bad press they have received so far, but if the campaign is not backed up with industrial action they will be prepared to keep their heads down and ride out the storm.
Working people know from experience that bosses don’t voluntarily provide decent wages and conditions. Workers are often forced to take industrial action to secure or preserve the most basic concessions. This situation is no different. The only real defence against Howard’s agenda will come from challenging the corporate interests that are driving his agenda.
Although the ACTU and Trades and Labour Councils were initially reluctant to commit to an industrial campaign, pressure from workers has begun to change this. At the all-union delegates meeting held in Melbourne on 7 September this pressure came to bear. At the meeting delegates strengthened the reasonable but vague resolutions put forward by the Victorian Trades Hall. While supporting the National rally planned for 15 November, they began calling for industrial action to be one of the tools of the campaign. This resulted in a concession from Bryan Boyd, Victorian Trades Hall Secretary, that a general strike wasn’t out of the question. There is no doubt that this sentiment will grow as more workers feel the effects of the changes and realise that Howard won’t listen to anyone but his rich mates.
Challenging these counter reforms industrially, at their source, becomes all the more crucial when the position of the Labor party is taken into account. Like the Libs, Labor is under massive pressure from the corporate sector to cut workers wages and conditions. Their track record of failing to stand up to this pressure speaks for itself. As the Latham Diaries reveal from the inside what is reflected in Labor policy anyway, workers are increasingly sceptical of whether, even if elected, Labor will provide any protection for workers rights.
For the campaign against Howard’s IR changes to be effective alongside a media campaign, an industrial campaign must be developed. As the first step in this campaign the ACTU should call a 24-hour national general strike to send a message to both Howard and big business that workers are not prepared to stand for these rotten laws.