RANK AND FILE WORKERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON WORKCVOER AS GOVERNMENT TRIES TO RAM LAWS THROUGH PARLIAMENT

6 May 2008

Delegates and members representing over 150,000 union members in South Australia will hold an extraordinary meeting in Old Parliament House today (Tuesday) to show the united opposition to the current WorkCover bill.

The meeting will formulate a motion to be presented to Premier Rann, on behalf of workers and their families who face financial hardship and poorer health outcomes as a result of his proposed changes.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says the WorkCover Bill is opposed by all unions in South Australia whose members are disappointed that a Labor Government would attack injured workers in this way.

"This was clearly in evidence at Saturday's May Day rally - people strongly disagree with the Rann Plan, and they want him to change it."

"Specifically, they question why the law contains a financial boost for business, while cutting into worker entitlements."

"There is a genuine fear that the Rann plan will cause such financial hardship that families could lose their homes and they are also worried that financial hardship could slow their rehabilitation and make it harder for them to return to full productivity".

"Unions are listening to those concerns.  We have fought a touch campaign against these changes and will continue to do so, even as the government attempts to ram the laws through Parliament."

The aim of the meeting is to make clear the issues that are unfair in the current legislation and urge the Premier to sit down and negotiate these with the representatives of workers in this state.

"It is possible - all it needs is political will.  If he won't listen to the leaders of unions in this state perhaps he will listen to the ordinary workers they represent," Ms Giles says.

The extraordinary delegates meeting will involve at least 2 delegates from each union in the state and take place at Old Parliament House, North Terrace, at 10.15 - 11.00 am.  The meeting will conclude with a motion being delivered to the Premier and delegates will then go to watch the debate in the Upper Hosue.