(Contributed)
The Queensland Government is currently developing laws to further hobble and restrict the organised power of the working class in Queensland.
Court controlled ballots for industrial action, requiring more than 50% of members to respond, have been a huge burden imposed on trade unions. They force unions to spend massive time, effort and funds in ensuring that members vote, in order for the outcome of the vote to be "acceptable". First introduced in Howard's industrial relations laws, the system has been kept in place by the Federal ALP government and introduced into some State systems as well, including Qld.
The Newman Qld Government is now taking this fetter on the working class one step further. They have introduced a bill into the parliament entitled Industrial Relations (Transparency and Accountability of Industrial Organisations) and other Acts Amendment Bill 2013
This law will make it compulsory for trade unions to hold the same sort of court controlled ballot if they plan any campaign costing more than $10,000. In today's world, once printing costs, phone costs and labour costs are included, that will cover virtually any campaign that a trade union decides to organise. The laws will be a template for use in other States and federally under a new LNP government
The Queensland Nurses Union are campaigning strongly against creeping privatisation of the health system. Teachers campaign for better and fairer education funding. State public servants campaign for maintaining public services. Electricians and building workers campaign to maintain jobs and expertise in the public sector.
All of these campaigns are under threat by the proposed laws. The Queensland
A QCU fact sheet on the proposed laws can be accessed at
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