MEDIA RELEASE APRIL 23 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULIA GILLARD ACTING OUT OF TOUCH ALREADY
National Union Of Workers (NUW) State Secretary Derrick Belan has said that Julia
Gillard is acting as though she is already out of touch with working Australians. This
follows the Deputy PM’s comments that Union picnic days will be considered illegal
strike action in a shake-up of workplace laws.
“I am amazed that Julia Gillard would advocate for the banning of Union members’
picnic days. With only a few months in office, it seems that the Rudd Labor government
has forgotten that it was working Australians who handed them victory at the last Federal
election”, Derrick Belan said.
The NUW chief said that not a word of this plan was mentioned in the lead up to last
years Federal Election.
“Julia Gillard visited many workplaces in 2007 seeking support from workers. Why
didn’t she mention her plan to ban Union picnic days then? Why didn’t she have the
courage to say then, ‘we want your votes and by the way we plan to take away your
picnic days’. This plan betrays the trust given to the Rudd government by Australian
working families.
“Ms. Gillard made a lot of political capital by accepting invitations to visit unionised
worksites. She spoke a lot about being the workers’ friend yet she turns around and
deceives Australian working families. It is something we expect from the Liberals!” Mr.
Belan said.
Derrick Belan said that unions fought for their members’ picnic days 50 years ago and
they will do it again if necessary.
“Another thing Ms. Gillard should know. We didn’t bow to John Howard and we have no
intention of bowing to her, let me make that very clear.
“To deem a Union members’ picnic day as ‘illegal strike action’ is insulting as well as
being highly deceptive”, Derrick Belan said.
Derrick Belan is calling upon the ACTU to publicly reject the plan to ban Union picnic
days.
“It is the role of the ACTU to advocate on behalf of unions and their members. Therefore,
I ask Sharon Burrow and Jeff Lawrence to condemn this hair-brain scheme and to remind
our new Labor government who got them elected in the first place”, Derrick Belan
concluded.
Ends.
For further comment call Mark Ptolemy 0414 99 38 73
NEWS 
