Published: 6 Mar 2013
National Secretary Paddy Crumlin led a mass union march and rally in Perth today to demands action on jobs and local content rules.
Stepping off from the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth, thousands of unionists streamed up in the warm afternoon towards Hale House, the official residence of Liberal Premier Colin Barnett, who is refurbishing the residence at a cost of $25 million without using a single union construction worker, according to Dave Noonan, the head of the construction division of the CFMEU. The march and rally was organised by a coalition of unions: the CFMEU, AMWU, CEPU and the MUA.
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[Picture: Paddy Crumlin and Chris Cain lead mass march for jobs in Perth] |
The central demand of the march and rally was building support for the Labor Opposition’s Skilled Jobs (Benefits of the Boom) Bill which seeks to make local content plans as part of major projects more transparent to the public.
Crumlin marched side-by-side with WA Branch Secretary Chris Cain and other trade union leaders.
"We have to take the values of the trade union movement into this fight," he said. "We're sick of the distortions and the dissembling. We're sick of the manipulating of the truth. We want to enjoy the fruits of our labor."
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[Picture: Paddy Crumlin, left, and Chris Cain, center, lead crowd in solidarity cheers] |
Earlier, Cain said, "Every Australian has a right to work in their own country."
Other speakers at the rally included Noonan, Les McLaughlan, CEPU State Secretary, and Paul Bastian, AMWU's National Secretary.
