Published: 9 Mar 2017
The Building Industry Group of Unions will lead thousands of workers through Melbourne’s streets as part of a national day of action as anger over Turnbull’s war on workers grows.
The rally will be headed by building workers who are furious at the implementation of the Federal Government’s Building Code and the re-introduction of the ABCC.
The Code and the ABCC will result in increased number of workers on temporary work visas, at the expense of Australian workers, as well as slashing the number of apprentices, women and Indigenous Australians whom builders and unions can agree to have on Federal Government funded projects.
When the ABCC was last operating, fatalities on construction sites almost doubled.
CFMEU State Secretary, John Setka said the ABCC is designed to attack the building unions and works as a political police force at the direction of the Turnbull Government.
“The Turnbull Government has worked itself up into an ideological frenzy. They’re more focused on attempting to destroy the CFMEU than running the country. They don’t care about local jobs; they don’t care about apprentices or getting more women and Indigenous Australians into higher paying industries; they only care about fighting ideological battles from the last century.
“Mark my words, if Turnbull and his mates in big business are successful, not only will productivity in construction plunge, but more workers will be killed or seriously injured. The blame will lie squarely at the feet of the Turnbull Government,” Mr Setka said.
The introduction of the Building Code and the ABCC has occurred in the context of the Turnbull Government’s war on workers and local jobs, which included the recent cuts to weekend penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers. Support for the national day of action has gained momentum in the last three weeks as anger in the community grows over cuts to workers’ wages and conditions.
“We’re going to be joined by thousands of workers effected by the recent cuts to penalty rates. At a time when business profits are through the roof, it’s clear that the Turnbull Government wants to squeeze more and more out of workers from all industries. Today, workers from across the country are saying, ‘enough is enough!’,” Mr Setka said.
Along with Mr Setka, the rally will be addressed by union leaders from the Building Industry Group of unions as well as Sally McManus from the ACTU.