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UNI Commerce Global Union supports ACTU Rights at Work Campaign Statement from the meeting in Nyon, Switzerland on 8 November 2006 At its meeting in Nyon on 8 November, UNI Commerce Global Union expressed its strong support for the ACTU “Your Rights at Work” campaign against the Howard Government’s I.R. Legislation. At a meeting of the UNI Commerce Global Union in Switzerland this month, 26 representatives of national retail unions covering all continents said the Australian legislation was an unacceptable attack on union and worker rights. The National Secretary of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, Joe de Bruyn, gave a detailed report to the global union meeting on the I.R. Legislation and its impact. The Global Union was particularly shocked at the privileged position given to individual contracts or Australian Workplace Agreements which can be offered to a worker at any time and which over-ride the provisions of collective agreements. Delegates were amazed to hear of the case of a supermarket in Perth where a new owner offered individual contracts to all employees before he took over the business. Two employees who refused to sign the AWA have lost their jobs. The remaining workers who signed the individual contracts, have lost their penalty rates, rostering protection and many other entitlements. Alan Spaulding from the USA, who is the President of UNI Commerce Global Union, said the Legislation is worse than anything his union faces under American labour laws. The UNI Commerce Global Union condemned other aspects of the Howard Government’s legislation, including Ø the loss of protection against unfair dismissal, Ø the dismantling of the award system protecting Australian workers, Ø the loss of powers of the independent Industrial Relations Commission, and Ø the inability of unions to negotiate so-called “prohibited content” in collective agreements, including - provision for union meetings, - trade union training of delegates, - pay roll deduction of union fees, and - provision for union notice boards. The meeting expressed its strong solidarity with the fight of Australian workers against the unfair I.R. laws which violate a range of ILO Standards to which the Australian Government is bound. UNI Global Union has already contributed financially to the ACTU Campaign Fund, and will continue to express its opposition to Australia’s labour laws in global forums. Individual retail unions in the UNI Commerce Global Union are encouraged to demonstrate their support for Australian workers on the ACTU Community Rally Day of 30th November.
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