The Howard government suppressed the freedom of workers to associate by severely limiting the means workers have to collectively bargain, in particular prohibiting the withdrawing of their labour power. ‘Law and order’ was the political ‘spin’ used against unions, with zero tolerance allowed for so-called ‘unlawful’ strikes. In a collective bargaining system, the strike is [...]
Tag Archives | Work Choices
Howard outlaws the right to strike 2005
I published this in 2005 against WorkChoices. Depressingly, PM Rudd is doing much the same! ‘The right of workers to leave their jobs is a test of freedom. Hitler suppressed strikes. Stalin suppressed strikes. But each also suppressed freedom. There are some things worse than strikes, much worse than strikes – one of them is [...]
Right to strike for industry bargaining attacked by Gillard (January 5th 2008)
It is important that workers have the right to strike for industry bargaining. January 2008. One week’s new year holiday on the NSW south coast beach, listening to the tests with PM Kevin Rudd commentating and reading Mungo’s election campaign book. As a campaigner for Your Rights at Work Worth Fighting For and ALP member, [...]
Howard’s anti-union agenda: Prohibited Content
The following 2006 comment focuses on one of the new details of WorkChoices, that of ‘prohibited content’. Content for enterprise agreements that are legally prohibited are ‘union-friendly claims’. They were formerly lawful content in collective bargaining agreements. This assumes some knowledge of WorkChoices and how it is unfair for workers and their unions and gives [...]
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- Turkey: Turkish Government ’s anti-democratic attack on the right to strike
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