Mick Veitch MLC Joins Rally Against O'farrell Industrial Relations Bill
Back to NewsMick Veitch MLC yesterday joined more than 12,000 public sector workers to protest against the O\'Farrell industrial relations laws – which remove the powers of the Industrial Relations Commission and allows the Premier to strip public sector workers of their wages and conditions.
The controversial legislation is now being debated in the Legislative Assembly before a final vote.
"More than 12,000 nurses, teachers, firefighters, police officers, bus drivers and other public sector workers have rallied outside Parliament House today to protest against the O\'Farrell Government\'s unprecedented wages laws," Mr Veitch said.
“Nurses, teachers, firefighters, bus drivers and other public sector workers will lose access to the independent workplace umpire and face cuts to their wages and conditions under the O’Farrell wages Bill.
“NSW workers have every right to be angry - research shows that if the O\'Farrell laws were introduced 10 years ago, nurses would be more than $12,000 a year worse off.
"The ACTU has also revealed the changes to workplace laws could be in breach of international law and the obligation to respect human rights, including labour rights.
“Under the new O’Farrell laws, NSW public sector workers will have the weakest workplace rights in Australia."
Mr Veitch said the O\'Farrell Government had tried to avoid public scrutiny over the legislation by directing public sector workers not to attend the rally and shutting down debate on the Bill in the Upper House.
“The Government has already used a parliamentary procedure not seen in more than 100 years to shut down debate on the controversial wages legislation in the Upper House," Mr Veitch said.
"Public sector workers were intimidated by government directives trying to bully them into not attending the rally.
"The O\'Farrell Government is doing whatever it can to avoid public scrutiny over this unprecedented Bill.
"Premier O\'Farrell did not take these laws to the election and he has no mandate to introduce them.
"These laws are simply unacceptable – thousands of workers are rallying against these laws and Barry O\'Farrell must withdraw them."