Safeguard Workers' Rights

ACTU President Ged Kearney said this election is about jobs for working people and the protection of workers' rights. "It is about recognising that during the GFC the Labor Government saved hundreds of thousands of jobs — including thousands of jobs in western Sydney," Ms Kearney said.

"And it is about giving Julia Gillard credit for safeguarding workers' rights with the Fair Work laws that got rid of WorkChoices.

"If the Liberals are elected, there will be no increase in national superannuation which would increase the average 30-year-old’s retirement savings by up to $150,000. And there will no improved protection of employee entitlements, nor two weeks paid paternity leave for working dads.

"The Liberals opposed the economic stimulus that saved 200,000 jobs during the GFC, and will always manage the economy in the interests of big business, not working families.

"Tony Abbott and the Coalition have a long history and are on record this year as pledging to wind back workers’ protections from unfair dismissal, to reintroduce individual contracts, and reduce minimum standards in awards. They have a policy of axing more than 12,000 jobs and cutting $5 billion from public services.

"Tony Abbott is deceiving working Australians – just as John Howard did before the 2004 election, when he never sought a mandate for WorkChoices. Given their track record, working Australians can have absolutely no trust in the Liberals," she said.

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