Union Bashing in Queensland
New industrial relations legislation introduced
by Queensland’s Newman government is far
more draconian than anything in the state’s
history, including the days of Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers
explained to delegates at the Annual Conference
what life is like for unionists in the sunshine state
today. It is not a good news story.
The first thing Campbell Newman did on being
elected was cancel the Labour Day holiday. This was
just setting the scene for an all out attack on unions. It’s
about union busting.
“The government is actually discouraging people to
join their union,” says Ian Leavers.
The new IR legislation has stopped unions from
collecting their subs through payroll deductions. While
sworn members can still have their subs deducted,
unsworn members cannot. It is only a matter of time
before the change will affect sworn members as well.
This is a huge financial impost on any organisation,
organising direct debit for all of the members.
The right of entry to workplaces is also under threat.
This would mean that police union officials would not be
able to go into police stations to see their members.
“We take it for granted that we can get into police
stations to see our members, but that could change
under the new legislation,” says Ian.
“It’s all about embarrassment. It will discourage
people from getting involved.”
Probably most disturbing is the requirement to
declare any political expenditure over $10,000. Before
the money can be spent a ballot of all members must
be held and 50 per cent of members must agree to
the expenditure.
“This will mean there’s no element of surprise. And
$10,000 wouldn’t even cover the cost of a half page
newspaper ad. It is all about silencing people.”
The new legislation doesn’t apply to employer
representative bodies, just unions. It is a clear attack
on unions.
“What this has done has seen us get closer with other
unions. We’re forming alliances with organisations we
never have in the past like the CFMEU and BLF. Who
would have thought we’d be supporting one another. It’s
a positive thing to be involved with the other unions.”
Vince Kelly told delegates that the only ones who look
after the interests of working police officers are police
unions and associations.
“Commissioners will dump you. The minister will
dump you. The government will dump you. It is
important to work as a collective. The only way to make
any progress at all is to look after each other.”
Ron says community safety is all about operational
police. There are no gimmicks to make a society safe. It
is fundamental.
Expenditure must also be publicly recorded. This
includes every cab voucher and company credit card as
well as personal credit cards where money is reimbursed
by the union. This legislation is retrospective so all
financial interests from July 1 last year must now be
on a public website, open to all. The ETU has set up
a new website to comply with the regulations – www.
opposethesefascistlaws.com.
NORTHERN TERRITORY POLICE NEWS
Ron DeLord is recognised as one of the
leading police union contract negotiators in
Texas and an expert on police unions in US,
Canada and Australia.
“What makes your country great is that you are
safe,” said Ron, praising Australia. “You have the best
policing model in the world. I’ve been to 60 countries
around the world and you are doing it right. You have
quality policing. If you’re poor in America and not in a
rich city, the police service is limited. It’s not true here.
Poor or rich gets the same trained officer and the same
resources. That is not true in the US.”
“Politicians have to do this but they are elected by the
public,” says Ian. “We are elected by our membership. I
don’t believe the public has a ri ? ???? ?]H??????????'B??N????S? ?]]YY[??[? ??X[?X]?\???\?Y\??Y?H ?\?[]?\?Y[?HY? ZX\?Y ?^H?]?HY\??Y?H ?\??X\???H?YY ? ??X??\? ?X?K??? ??X? H H[??[? ?\?]?H ?X?[?? H?]?Y?\?][?\? H X?[?X\?H[?\?\? ? ?Y?\?\??[?Y[X?\??? HTH^X?]]?H[? Z\? ?]?\?]\?? ??YH[???X][??[?[??X???[? ?? X?? ^B??[?? ? Z\?[??Y?\?[?? Y[?? H ?X?\?? Z\???YH\?[??H[???X][? ??H ??YY[ ??[?? Y\?[?H\??]?\?
K ???HTH\?H[?[] H?[? ?^H]\? ?\?[?[?^H ZY ?Y[X?\??] H [YH?HX][? B??[Z[ K?[?^H ZY ?Y[X?\??[?\? ?\??]\?[ ???B??X??Y ??^K??[??[??K H [?[??]?\? ??YH[?^B??HY[X?\? ??\??] [???[??\?8?$? ]\??&]?? B??? ? ?YK?] [?\? H?]?Y?\?][?]\??? ??X? H ?X?B???'?H?YYH ?X?H??X?\? ??\? ??\? H\]Z\ Y?[? ??\? H ?Z[?Y ?[???\? [?\??[ ??'B??? ?^\??\?][?[ ?X?H\?H H?X???H[????\??Y[? ?]\? ][?^H[?? H ?Z[?[??[??\]Z\ [??? H?\?][?[ ?X?K????'?H ??[???\?? ?] [?H ?X[ H ?[? ????]^?[?\?H?[?^\??]?\?H??X??]??X[?B???[X[?\?? [?x?&]?H?? ?x?&[ [ [?K [?H??[ ?[?B??X?H\\?Y[? ?]H??? ?\??X[? ??'B??HY ?[??]H??\H??[?[Y[?[Y??\?[??\??] ?Y[?^\?[?]\? ?[XK?[?^\? H??\??Y[??[? ?X?H??[X[? ?[? ?] ?X?K?????S? ?] H ??H?\???Y??^\????[?\?[??HXX?]H[?^\?H ??[]?H?Y[????[?] ??[??&]]?[?XZ?H H \\?????[H ]\??&]?? ?H ?[? [???[?]\? ?[XK?? ?^\] [?H]?HH??X?H[? ?X?H]?HH?? ?????'Y? [?H????H ? ?\?\?H ?X?H??X?\? [?H ?][??[?[?H?Z[??]?[? ? ]\?[??&]??[?? ???H ?[??? [?K?Y? [?HXYH HX?\?[? ?????\ H ?] B???X?\? [?x?&\?H [?\?\??\? ?]\???HX?][?? ???Y] K??]?[?Y?H]?H ??[
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