Thousands rally for national day of action
The CWU was at the forefront with other unions when tens of thousands of unionists and their supporters rallied around Australia on 4 March to protest against the anti-worker policies of the Abbott government.
An estimated 50,000 people turned out in Melbourne, making that the largest of the events, but every capital city and many regional centres reported strong participation in the day of action.
Speakers at the rallies highlighted threats to working conditions through attacks on penalty rates, on unfair dismissal protections and on union bargaining and workplace entry rights. They also pointed to Coalition attempts to dismantle Medicare, to raise university fees and to reduce pension entitlements.
Many of the Coalition’s plans have of course been blocked in the Senate. But that doesn’t mean they have been abandoned forever. It is still important to remind the government of how deeply - and rightly – unpopular its policies are.
And it is equally important to remind Labor that it will have to offer something better if it wants the support of the union movement and its members at the next federal election.
