[Muanet] ABC news on todays mass delegates meeting in Melbourne

[Chris Latham]

Unionists rally against IR laws. 29/03/2006. ABC News Online 

[This is the print version of story
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1603570.htm] 
Last Update: Wednesday, March 29, 2006. 3:12pm (AEDT)
 <http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200603/r78942_226306.jpg> 
Union delegates rally in Melbourne against the new federal industrial
relations laws. (ABC) 		
Unionists rally against IR laws
Parts of central Melbourne have come to a standstill because of a union
rally against the new federal workplace laws.
This is the first time union members have marched since the new federal
industrial laws were enacted this week. 
Many of them are bitter the laws were enacted amid the distraction of
the Commonwealth Games.
About 1,500 union delegates heard ACTU secretary Greg Combet label the
new laws an attack on unionism, fair pay and workplace safety. 
He told the delegates to urge their colleagues to join similar rallies
over the next three months but acknowledged they could be in breach of
the new laws. 
The crowd marched through Melbourne's CBD to Liberal Party headquarters
and vowed to campaign against Liberal members all the way to the next
federal election. 
The delegates have been urged to recruit their colleagues for a series
of demonstrations planned over the next three months.
But Mr Combet says workers should not be discouraged.
"Depends on what their particular workplace agreement might say. It's
going to be tough under these laws though for people to express a
democratic right to protest and express their right that we believe
people should have in this country for free speech," he said. 
"But we are determined not to be intimidated by the laws."
Union representatives have been collecting money from delegates to
support the cause. 
ACTU president Sharan Burrow says the turnout at rallies should not be a
measure of the campaign's success.
"This is about peoples lives and it is appalling to think that we would
meter this in numbers," she said.
"This is about whether or not the values that shape our country are
based on rights where everybody is treated with respect."
Laws will create jobs: PM
Meanwhile the Prime Minister has rejected ongoing attacks from the
Opposition over the Government's new IR laws.
Labor used Question Time to pursue John Howard over claims that eight
workers were sacked from a Melbourne company as a result of the
workplace relations overhaul.
Mr Howard told Parliament he does not know the details of the case but
says the changes will create more jobs.
"These sorts of questions were asked 10 years ago when we brought in
changes and here we are 10 years later, 1.7 million more jobs, real
wages risen by 16.8 per cent, unparalleled wealth and prosperity across
the land and all we get is whingeing from the Labor Party," he said.

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