Unions NSW: Election Results

From Mark Lennon Secretary Unions NSW

Now that the dust has largely settled on the state election, it's clear the Coalition will form the next NSW government. Although we didn't quite get across the line on Saturday, we can confidently say we gave our all to try to stop a Baird Liberal Government from winning re-election, so I want to thank you for all you did this election.

Thank you for every conversation you had with your workmates, in your communities and with your family. Every time you shared information online or on the phone, knocked on doors or made a donation. What you did made a difference:

• Together, we knocked on more than 27,000 doors and had thousands of conversations with voters about privatisation, as well as protecting our jobs, rights and services.
• Together, we raised thousands of dollars to take our message to the streets with a giant mobile billboard  in the final few days of the campaign!
• Together, we won in 14 of the 18  seats we campaigned in and have strengthened our supporter network throughout the state — online and on the ground!

And just as importantly, what you did laid the groundwork for the fight ahead.

There is only one thing to do when faced with a challenge — face it head-on — and that’s what we’ll be doing. We will not waste a day. We will put our energy into preparing and organising for the fight ahead.

Our movement is made for these moments: history has shown that when we’re faced with a threat to our rights at work, we’re at our best. We know how to come together as one, united movement while taking advantage of our wonderful strength and diversity to confront any challenge.

When a Coalition Government took on the wharfies — we organised and won. When they introduced WorkChoices — we organised and won. Generations of union members before us have faced even bigger challenges and what did they do? They organised and won.

For more than 200 years, no election and no government has ever been stronger than (or outlasted) our movement. We stand for good jobs, living wages, strong rights and quality public services and we're not going to stop now. One election will never eclipse the two centuries in which we've fought to make the idea of a fair go for all a reality... and despite the election result, our struggle — fighting the good fight — continues.

In Union,

Mark Lennon
Secretary
Unions NSW