Group Update - May 2007
Conveners
North Sydney Your Rights at Work Group
Update - May 2007
.....................................................................
- Letter to John Howard published in 'The Australian' - funded by
1,300 YR@W supporters
- Hockey concedes WorkChoices errors
- TV Show 'McLeod's Daughter's' highlights unfairness of AWA's
- ABC's Weatherman Mike Bailey set to challenge IR Minister Joe Hockey
- YR@W Group Training
- Get active - write to local media
- Get active - write to Joe Hockey
- ACTU Community Forum
- Your ideas needed (for logos etc)
- Upcoming Events - Markets / Meetings
LETTER TO JOHN HOWARD PUBLISHED IN "THE AUSTRALIAN" - FUNDED BY YR@W
SUPPORTERS
The letter was funded by 1300 personal donations from campaign
supporters and appeared in today's edition of 'The Australian' -
Wednesday May 23, 2007.
To view the ad visit : http://www.actu.asn.au/Upload/File/YRAW/Final_LettertoHoward_280507.pdf
HOCKEY CONCEDES WORKCHOICES ERRORS (The Australian - May 22, 2007)
"I wasn't the minister for workplace relations in the past, but if
you're saying to me that we got it wrong in the past, well we
did," [Joe Hockey] said.
"We got it wrong. We under-estimated what would have happened if we
put in place a system that may lead to people trading away penalty
rates without fair compensation.
TV SHOW HIGHLIGHTS UNFAIRNESS OF AWA's
'McLeod's Daughters' (Channel Nine) which screened last Wednesday
night showed the plight of a worker who was offered an AWA (individual
contract).
The following text about the scene is from Labornet - May 18, 2007:
One of the characters, Phil, the local mayor and business owner, fires
young Patrick so he can immediately rehire him on an Australian
Workplace Agreement.
"Patrick, great, I've been meaning to talk to you. I'm restructuring
the business - you're fired," he tells Patrick.
He then offers the employee an AWA that has lower wages.
Phil says it involves a new title of assistant manager, more
flexibility, more responsibility.
"Less money," snaps Patrick in the episode shown Wednesday night.
"Much less money."
Patrick is not impressed by the promise of more pay through bonuses
for hard work and rejects the workplace agreement.
"Well it's not actually your choice," says Phil. "It's either my
way . . ."
"I'll take the highway," says Patrick. "I quit."
(Got to www.rightsatwork.com.au to view a video of the scene)
ABC's WEATHERMAN MIKE BAILEY TO STAND AGAINST JOE HOCKEY
Mike Bailey (ABC Weatherman) plans to stand against IR Minister Joe
Hockey in Seat of North Sydney upon sucessful Labor preselection. We
plan to invite Mike Bailey along to our next regular meeting in
Neutral Bay (Tuesday 12th June, Neutral Bay Community Centre, 6PM). We
will keep people informed when more details come to light & hope you
can assist us in promoting the event. Stay tuned for more details.
YR@W GROUP TRAINING
Unions NSW is holding a training day for local Your Rights at Work
Groups (such as ourselves, the Eastern Surbubs, Northern Beaches,
Bennelong, Parramatta and Inner West YR@W groups). We already have
2-3 persons from our group attending, but if you are especially keen
to come along and work on a campaign strategy for our group, please
get in touch with us asap.
GET ACTIVE - WRITE TO LOCAL MEDIA
We are pleased to see more IR debate happening in our local media (and
mainstream media too!). We thank our group members who have been
active in writing in letters and encouraging this debate among the
community. Why not have a go yourself ? You can email letters to the
editor using the addresses below.
Northshore Times - shor...@cng.newsltd.com.au
Mosman Daily - edi...@mosmandaily.com.au
Northside Courier - northsidec...@fpc.com.au
GET ACTIVE - WRITE TO HOCKEY
North Sydney constituents - you may have you received a letter
regarding the Government's changes to WorkChoices (new 'Fairness
Test') from IR Minister Joe Hockey. Write to your local member and
let him know your thoughts. For details on the new 'Fairness Test'
visit http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/factmay7
Postal address: PO Box 1107, North Sydney NSW 2059
e-mail: j...@joehockey.com
ACTU COMMUNITY FORUM
You're invited to have your say on the ACTU's Community Forum. Go to
the 'NSW and ACT' section at: www.rightsatwork.com.au/community
YOUR IDEAS NEEDED
Group members are invited to submit ideas for captions, caricatures,
and logos for our group. We are looking into purchasing a banner, and
have a local artist keen to help us, so get in touch with us with your
ideas! Extra points for humour!
ENROL TO VOTE WEEK
National Enrol to Vote Week aims to encourage the in-school enrolment
of all 17 and 18 year-old Australian students within all Australian
secondary schools. The first ever Enrol to Vote Week will be held from
28 May to 1 June 2007. For more info visit www.aec.gov.au
"Enrol to vote weeks supports the important work being done by schools
and colleges across Australia in preparing our young people, as
electors of the future, to determine the shape of our democracy"
- Ian Campbell, Electoral Commissioner
You may also be interested in the AEC's Youth Electoral Study (YES)
available at:
http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/What/publications/youth_study_1/page01.htm
EVENTS
- We will have our regular Your Rights at Work stall at the North
Sydney Markets, Saturday 9th June. Visit us!
- Our next group meeting will take place on Tuesday 12th June, at the
Neutral Bay Community Centre. More details to be announced soon.
Thanks for your support to the Rights at Work Campaign & keep in
touch!
Please circulate this email!
Julia Armitt
on behalf of the Group