ACTU leader to visit Island State for May Day

29 April 2018

The Hobart May Day March will host a guest from the mainland this year, with ACTU Secretary Sally McManus crossing Bass Strait to march alongside Unions Tasmania Secretary Jessica Munday and hundreds of working people.

The Sunday march and rally marks the beginning of a series of Change the Rules campaign events nationally. The campaign aims to win more secure jobs, fairer pay rises and restore working rights to people.

The march will proceed from the rear of the CPSU building at 57 Victoria Street through the CBD, and is expected be the largest since the May Day tradition was revived in Tasmania in 2015.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

• “At a time when big business has too much power, when the cost of living is rising faster than our pay, people in Tasmania know it’s time to change the rules.
• “Working people are strong, united and determined in Tasmania, and we are seeing more people join the movement for change every day.
• “We need more secure jobs, fair pay rises and rights that we can enforce. These are reasonable and achievable if we come together as working people and take action for change.

Quotes attributable to Unions Tasmania Secretary Jessica Munday:

• “Working people around Tasmania know that we can change the rules so that our pay rises are fair and our jobs are more secure.
• “We have a huge problem with under-employment here and that’s something we can change. We have seen near record low wage growth in part because of a 2% wage cap imposed on state servants promoted by the Tasmanian Liberals.
• “This sort of policy causes many problems and contributes to our housing crisis with working people struggling to pay rising rent costs.  
• “On Sunday we will be marching for more secure jobs, fairer pay, and more respect as working people.
• “And we know that when we work together and bring new people into the movement for change, that we can change the rules and win better lives for working people.”