'Give Howard the finger' says union militant

How Geelong workers sent Howard into hiding

May 27, 2005 - The great leader that can send men off to war and write laws attacking workers rights, Prime Minister John Howard, cannot even face workers in Geelong.

Today Howard had to cut and run when confronted by workers protesting at the disgusting changes the Federal Government is proposing to the industrial relations laws. Howard was in Geelong to announce the funding for the Geelong bypass road.

Workers from the construction industry, manufacturing, universities, council workers, waterside and office staff turned out at very short notice to let Howard know that what his government is attempting to do to workers is not acceptable.

The Prime Minister's security service was taken by surprise and they delayed Howard attending the function for an hour. Although Geelong Trades Hall gave commitments that we would not go near the function and that we would only chant slogans, the security service waited for extra police reinforcements to arrive. Then the security cancelled the event and moved it to another undisclosed location. Geelong Trades Hall understands that later in the day after all the protesters had left that the function resumed.

Tim Gooden, Geelong Trades Hall Secretary said: "Workers are outraged about the changes to IR laws that will remove most of their rights and protection. We came here today to tell Howard that it is not on and he does not have the guts to face us. This proves that he is not doing workers in any favours, as he pretend to, rather he intends to make workers suffer so that his mates in big business can fatten their pockets with more profits off the backs of workers".

For further information please call Tim Gooden on 0418290 656.

Media reports:

Angry unionists wait for PM at bypass site

By Jamie Berry

AAP/AGE May 27, 2005 - 10:51AM

A rowdy welcome awaits Prime Minister John Howard in Geelong this morning, where he is set to announce a bypass road for the regional city.

More than 100 trade unionists are waiting at site of the announcement, in the outer Geelong suburb of Lovely Banks.

Mr Howard was due

to arrive at 10am to announce funding for the project, but by 10.25 had still not appeared. Premier Steve Bracks is also attending the announcement.

Geelong Trades Hall secretary Tim Gooden said workers from nearby factories and construction sites, along with teachers, nurses and clerical workers, had gathered at short notice to protest against workplace reforms announced by Mr Howard yesterday.

"What he's doing is wrong, it's immoral," he told the crowd.

"And the only thing he's trying to do is give more profits to big business at the expense of workers in Australia."

He said the changes would take away many protections from workers that they and preceding generations had struggled for.

Mr Gooden asked the crowd to leave the road open for Mr Howard to come through but "give him the finger".

Up to 3.6 million workers will be stripped of laws that protect them from unfair dismissal in the biggest shake-up of workplace relations in Australian history.

Mr Howard yesterday outlined his vision for a single national industrial relations system where minimum wages will be set by a new commission and new workers will be on probation for six months.

* Tim Gooden is a member of Socialist Alliance in Geelong. John Howard decided to cancel his appointment in Geelong after the crowd grew to 400.

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