From the Archives, 1991: More protests likely over industrial bill

First published in the Sydney Morning Herald on September 18, 1991

"Not a penny off the pay and not a minute off the day", was the war cry of Australian workers decades ago but Mr Fred Moore, 70, reckons it's time to dust it off and use it again.

Looking at the thousands of workers gathered to protest against the Greiner Government's new industrial legislation yesterday, Mr Moore recalled the battles to gain rights such as the 38-hour week. He believes these rights are now under threat.

Crowds at the rally, September 17, 1991Credit: Andrew Taylor

"When I started you weren't paid holiday pay or long-service leave," he said. "No sick leave, no workers' compensation ... they will try and take these away now, especially in times of high unemployment."

A banner at the rally on September 17, 1991Credit: Steve Christo

Mr Moore, a retired miner, was among those at the rally who remember when workers were jailed for trying to win the right to strike and who are worried those days are returning.

"It takes us back quite a number of years and the people are not going to cop that," ex-metalworker Mr Albert Laird, 79, said.

An estimated 10,000 people marched from three points around Sydney's city centre to Parliament House while hundreds rallied in Penrith to protest against the legislation.

Sydney building sites shut down, an estimated 10,000 NSW miners went on strike and manufacturing in the Illawarra area stopped as workers there joined the protests.

The secretary of the Labor Council of NSW, Mr Michael Easson, said union leaders were under pressure from their members to take further industrial action and would meet today to discuss their next move.

"We've been surprised by the number of callers and members over the last couple of days urging us to take stronger action," he said.

At the city rally a group of angry workers called out repeatedly for a general strike.

"We have got to fight for the rights of workers and for our children and, of course, grandchildren," said Mrs Lauraine Waine, 51, who works at Grace Bros' distribution centre. "They want to cut our wages."

In Penrith the protesters marched four kilometres from the city centre to the Vista Paper Products factory where sacked workers have manned a picket line for 28 weeks.

Union leaders believe that the treatment given to the workers there, who were sacked for refusing to take a pay cut, will be repeated across the State if the new legislation is passed.

"They basically said this is what we are going to do and if you don't like it we will sack you," the Labor Council's assistant secretary, Mr Peter Sams, who spoke at the Penrith rally, said later.

Workers gather near Parliament house yesterday to protest against the proposed industrial relations legislation. September 17, 1991.Credit: Andrew Taylor

The Minister for Industrial Relations, Mr Fahey, attacked the rallies as"pointless political posturing" which attracted little community support.

Mr Fahey said they would not sway his Government from its intention to pass the legislation.

Under the proposed legislation, unions' rights of entry to workplaces would be restricted, an industrial court with the power to impose tough penalties would be established and the Industrial Commission's watchdog role over enterprise agreements would be removed.

The Opposition leader, Mr Carr, promised the city rally that Labor would repeal the legislation when it won government.

Hundreds of Wollongong workers caught the train to Sydney to join the march yesterday; coming straight from an early morning rally in their home city, which organisers say was attended by 8,000 people.

The president of the South Coast Labor Council, Mr Nando Leli, estimated that 20,000 workers were on strike in the area.

The Illawarra regional manager of the Chamber of Manufactures, Mr Jim Pearce, said the 24-hour strike had cost the region $20 million.

"I think it is a shame that what is basically a political problem is costing employers in the manufacturing industry who really can not afford it,"he said.

The NSW Coal Association said the miners' participation in the 24-hour strike had cost the NSW industry $12 million in lost production.

On October 24, 1991 about 600,000 of the State's 2.6 million workers took part in a general strike in protest at the proposed legislation. However, the State Government's industrial relations bill was passed by the NSW Parliament on October 30, 1991.