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           Shipping Stevedoring Port Services Hydrocarbons Diving  Jul-Aug 2008        |
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Qld Premier hits back at union smear campaignBy MUA election campaign news
When conservative Qld state MP McArdle parrotted the Howard/Costello 'unions-control-the-ALP' line, Anna Bligh had this to say: Ms BLIGH: I thank the member for the question again and I will do my best to answer it against the opposition's unruly, ill-disciplined and disgraceful behaviour this morning. I believe the question was whether 90 per cent of the members of my cabinet are union members. I think the answer to that is no. I believe that 100 per cent of my cabinet are members of relevant trade unions. Not only are they members of their relevant trade unions; they are proud members of their relevant trade unions. They are proud of that, because trade unions have been one of the organisations that have built this country. They secured the eight-hour day. They secured decent working conditions so that people could feed their families and be safe in their workplaces. There is no shame in it--none whatsoever. The member wants to come snivelling in here doing the dirty work of John Howard. We do not resile for one minute from the fact that people on this side of the House care about the interests of working people. In terms of the talent of my cabinet, I will stack them up one by one against every runt of the litter that the other side lines up. My cabinet will be seen for what they are: the most talented cabinet that Queensland has ever had. source: Hansard extract - Queensland Parliament - 18 October MUA Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman said Premier Bligh's comments were a factual recognition of the role of unions as collective community organisations in the workplace. "Unions add another level of democracy to Australian society," he said . "Membership is worn proudly - unlike those who try to demonise unions and are frightened of robust democracy."
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