By Michael Sinclair and Christine De Kock
BRIMBANK residents joined hundreds of protesters voicing their opposition to new industrial relations laws at a community picnic in Yarraville last weekend.
More than 800 people flocked to the Western Suburbs Community and Union Coalition protest at Yarraville Gardens on Sunday, to protest against the new IR laws that give employers greater powers and allow workers to be sacked without warning or reason.
The picnic brought together churches, legal centres, workers rights groups, union officials, new migrants and local councillors from across the West.
Gellibrand MP and shadow Attorney-General Nicola Roxon was among those protesting against the new laws.
“It will take time for the community to feel the affects of the new legislation and understand what John Howard is doing,” Ms Roxon told Star.
“Labor is absolutely committed to tearing-up the legislation, it has no good news for Australian workers and I don’t think it has any good news for businesses either.”
The Save Sunshine Pool Group also took part in the protests in support of unions they hope will help in the fight to have the Sunshine pool improved.
“The relevance of the unions is highlighted by what is happening in Sunshine where ethical decision making is being thrown out the window with big money being thrown at marginal seats instead of where it is most needed,” the group’s website read.
Rally organiser Justin Mullaly said it was important that community groups networked as the first port of call for when the news laws start to affect the community.
He said most of the new laws stripped workers of their hard-fought for rights and that legislation allowed a company with 100 or fewer employees to sack someone without reason.
“There is also a movement away from collective agreements to individual agreements with employers,” Mr Mullaly said.
“Two workers doing the same work could get different rates of pay and conditions for the exactly the same performance of a task, depending on their relationship with their employer.”
Mr Mullaly said the Labor Party would need to supply a clear statement of support for workers and produce a policy that would nullify the new IR laws to convince workers of their intentions.
Further protests are expected to be held by the Western Suburbs Community and Unions Coalition. A mass rally will be held on 28 June in the city but details have yet been confirmed.
