South Australia’s union movement will be out in force this morning for the annual May Day march with a message to the community: there’s only one way to make things fairer for Australian working people and that’s to change the government.
SA Unions Secretary Angas Story says the Federal election on May 18th is the chance to stop Australia sliding into a US-style economy, where it’s dog eat dog for workers and big business and corporations ride roughshod over the rights and conditions of working people.
“Our volunteers have been out in Boothby talking to people and they’re telling us that they’re very concerned about job insecurity, increased casualisation and the use of labour hire and flatlining wages.
“They’re worried about how they’re going to pay next month’s bills and they’re worried for their kids’ future.
“And the only jobs plan we’ve seen from Scott Morrison is a secret dodgy deal with Premier Steven Marshall to bring in migrant workers on lower wages – which exploits them and disadvantages local job seekers .”
ACTU President Michele O’Neil says that all over the world workers march on May Day for justice, equality, secure jobs and fair wages and conditions.
“This year's March in Adelaide, we are mobilising the troops for the election in two week's time.
“This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to change our workplace rules and give power back to working people.
“To change the rules and win fair pay and secure jobs we have to change the government. Voters are ready to kick this government out and fix our broken workplace laws.”
May Day is an international celebration of the campaign that started nearly 200 years ago to achieve an eight-hour working day, and is now an international day of celebration of the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. Because of the collective efforts of unions over the past one hundred years, Australians enjoy weekends, penalty rates, holiday and sick leave, maternity leave and superannuation.