RTBU, ACTU, CFMEU, AWU, MUA, AMWU, and more unions march on Labour Day through Gladstone CBD
Hundreds gathered in the heart of Gladstone to march for better wages and more secure jobs as the Port City’s proud history of trade unionism continues. See the pictures.
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A union boss, at Gladstone’s Labour Day march, claimed Workers rights are Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s lowest priority.
Hundreds gathered to celebrate Labour Day by marching through Gladstone’s CBD on May 2.
Unions representing Central Queensland’s industrial and essential workforce gathered to demand better work conditions and more secure work as they marched from Central Lane to the Gladstone Marina Parklands.
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) President, Michele O’Neil took to the stage to rally attendees and call out a number of the Prime Minister’s shortcomings throughout his term.
“This Labour Day matters because we have a Prime Minister in power who has systematically gone about dismantling the rights of working people,” Ms O’Neil said.
“Making sure that workers rights are the lowest priority, and we know this guy … his true colours, his spots, this is the man who when bushfires are raging who doesn’t hold a hose,” she said.
Ms O’Neil then recounted Scott Morrison’s handling of the vaccine rollout, floods, the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins, and not legislating an anti-corruption commission.
“This is someone who cannot be relied on and this is someone who has overseen almost a decade of working people’s been stagnant and even worse than that, because in the past two years workers wages in real terms have gone backwards,” she said.
Ms O’Neil then welcomed Labor candidate for Flynn, Matt Burnett to the stage where he spoke about his track record in the Gladstone community, as a councillor and then mayor, and what he aims to do for Central Queensland if elected.
“I love this community, five generations my family has been here … we love Gladstone, we love Central Queensland, I can’t say that about the others, they don’t have the heart that we have for this community,” Mr Burnett said.
“We have made hundreds of jobs and lots of money for our state and federal governments, and we want some of that money back here in Central Queensland and I’m going to be the one to do that for you,” he said.
Workers and their families then spent hours soaking up the sun at the Gladstone Marina with food, drinks, and rides for the kids listening to live music and other speakers representing some of the unions in attendance.
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