Shops union maybe the king maker in Labor's leadership struggle
THE Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association can claim another scalp when the removal of Premier Mike Rann is complete.
THE Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association can claim another scalp when the removal of Premier Mike Rann is complete.
The "Shoppies", as they are colloquially known, is the biggest union in Australia and it also played a key role in the demise of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his replacement by Julia Gillard.
The union has 25,000 members in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
It was its 30-year-old state secretary Peter Malinauskas who, along with Treasurer Jack Snelling, delivered the message to Mr Rann his time was up and the Right and Left factions agreed Education Minister Jay Weatherill should replace him.
Flinders University politics professor Haydon Manning said yesterday this behind-the-scenes manoeuvring was part
of Labor Party culture, given it had been formed out of the union movement more than 100 years ago.
But he said those days may be coming to an end.
"As union membership declines it's hard to sustain the argument; this degree of influence of a non-elected source over the conduct of government is detrimental," he said.
The union movement has seized on the imminent changing of the guard as an opportunity to restore the party to its worker roots.
A broad base of unions, led by Janet Giles at SA Unions, has waged a campaign against the direction of the State Government since the "slash and burn" State Budget in 2010.
Public Service Association general secretary Jan McMahon said it hoped the change in leader would lead to a reopening of dialogue with unions, and a restoration of public sector workers' rights.
"From the PSA's point of of view it is important to see a change of policies and not just a change of face," she said.
Ms McMahon said the PSA would seek meetings every six weeks between the union base and the revamped Government.
"That is something we have always done, (but) I would struggle to remember the last time we met with Premier Rann," she said.
"One of the most valuable mechanisms we have is to be able to talk to the Premier about issues within the public sector."
SA Unions president Jamie Newlyn said Mr Rann's reign had resulted in an erosion of labor values.
"There has been a concerted campaign against the leadership in this state for some time and the union movement hasn't been particularly happy with the direction of the leadership . . . particularly on workers' rights," Mr Newlyn said.
"We need change and rejuvenation in the party and hopefully Jay Weatherill can do that . . . and get people back in touch with the Labor party."
The Australian Workers Union could not be contacted yesterday.