Friday, May 18, 2018

ACTU – Laundy claims credit for union-won wage increase he opposed

17 May 2018

Junior employment minister Craig Laundy has cited a union-won increase in the minimum wage, which was not supported by his own government, as the solution to stagnant wage growth which remains near record lows.

On Radio National this morning Mr Laundy responded to questions asking how the wage crisis would be solved by observing that the flow-on effects from last year’s increase to the minimum wage are still washing through the economy.

Mr Laundy was a backbencher at the time of the union-won wage rise.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

  • “The Turnbull Government did not support the minimum wage increase last year and its allies in the business lobby were its sole opponents.
  • “Then Workplace Relations Minister Michaelia Cash bizarrely argued against a sizeable increase in the minimum wage due to her belief that many minimum wage workers live in ‘high income households’.
  • “The strongest advocate for the increase was the Australian union movement.
  • “The Minister is claiming credit for the hard work of the union movement, which he and his colleagues have spent their entire political careers trying in vain to destroy.
  • “We look forward Mr Laundy’s support in other aspects of our work defending the rights of working people against the Government of which he is a member.”

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