“It's amazing that western suburbs councils like Brimbank remain mute about federal industrial relations laws that strip workers rights,” said Colleen Hartland, the Greens Western Metropolitan Upper House candidate. "It’s pretty clear that the Greens are much stronger on IR when a council, almost completely made up of Labor Party councillors, dodged the chance to add its voice to the community’s opposition to these laws."

“Workers living in the Western Metropolitan Region are feeling the pinch of Howard’s I.R. laws - they face growing job insecurity, lower wages and longer hours at work," said Colleen Hartland. "This was a perfect opportunity for Brimbank Council to show its support for workers and employment standards.”

"The Greens in parliament will work to reverse the impact of Canberra's destructive work place laws on Victorian workers. The Greens are committed to returning Victoria’s industrial relations powers, transferred to Canberra by a Jeff Kennett's Liberal Party government," said Colleen Hartland.

Major commitments in the Greens Victorian Industrial Relations and Employment Policy* include:
- Establishing a State Industrial Relations Commission, with the power to make Awards, register collective agreements between unions and employers, and settle disputes,
- Legislating to protect minimum employment conditions and moving state public sector employees outside the federal system,
- Protecting the right to strike, union access to workers in their workplaces and removing employers' ability to sue over industrial action, and
- Encouraging working arrangements that improve family life.

For more information and comment, please contact:
Colleen Hartland on (mob) 0400 043 881
or
Dave Lane on (mob) 0419 156 213

Background:
* At the last meeting of the Last week, Brimbank City Council (Tuesday August 22, 2006) the Greens asked Council to show leadership and commit to protecting the pay and conditions of council workers by opposing the Federal Government "WorkChoices" legislation. Not a single councillor that went to last year’s council elections under the "Community Labor" banner was willing to second the motion condemning the Howard government’s IR laws.

** The Greens Victorian Industrial Relations and Employment Policy
http://vic.greens.org.au/content/about-the-greens/policy/060626_IR%20policy.pdf