SHADOW MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS – SENATOR THE HON MICHAELIA CASH

MEDIA RELEASE

28 September 2022

GOVERNMENT SHOULD BACK SMALL BUSINESS OVER BIG UNIONS

The Albanese Government was today presented with a clear choice of backing Australian businesses and the economy or paying off their union paymasters.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus put the ball in the Government’s court when she demanded that workers need the right to strike in support of multi-employer pay claims.

In a clearly absurd claim, Ms McManus denied that multi-employer bargaining would mean small businesses would be disrupted by strikes.

“The ACTU’s cards are well and truly on the table and it is now up to the Albanese Government to make a choice,’’ she said.

“From everything we have seen of this union dominated Government there is little doubt they will fold to their paymaster’s demands and abandon businesses and the economy by allowing strike action in the multi-employer bargaining system.’’

It is clear that industry wide bargaining would be devastating for the Australian economy, leading to widespread strike action, including sympathy strikes by those unrelated to a particular dispute.

“We will see a return to the bad old days of the 1970s when Australia’s economy could be brought to a standstill at the whim of the union leadership,’’ Senator Cash said.

“We were given an insight into the Albanese Government’s thinking on this recently when Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones, not only refused to condemn strike action, but praised strikes as being an important part of the bargaining process,’’ she said.

“It’s pretty obvious that Labor’s upcoming industrial relations changes will result in more strikes, more disruption and significantly damage the economy.

“Once again they will no doubt pay-off their union paymasters and leave businesses trying to pick up the pieces,’’ Senator Cash said

ENDS