.jpg)
Workers celebrate Howard's end
Report & Photos: Rob Lockyear
Labor Day was a celebration rather than a fight this year as union workers bid an official farewell to John Howard's IR laws.
BLF assistant state secretary David Hanna was in particularly fine voice as he led the charge of some of the more raucous troops.
"Mate, this is a day for workers. It's celebrating the downfall of Johnny Howard," Mr Hanna said.
"It's great to be here every year and now we're fighting for some decent workers rights under this Labor government."
The festive cheer spilled over into the Brisbane City Council meeting last week as Lord Mayor Campbell Newman stunned his Labor opposition by praising Labor Day and the work of the trade unions.
But he delved into history to remind councillors of a 1980's Labor Day march where a young union official by the name of David Hinchliffe was punched in the jaw by an angry union member.
Apparently the "woman wearing an Electrical Trades Union badge" took exception to the former Deputy Mayor's attempts to intervene in an on-stage scuffle and "struck him on the jaw".
Cr Newman seemed to particularly enjoy the part where the police didn't intervene and the other union officials retired to the bar.
What a difference 20 years makes.
Labor Day was a celebration rather than a fight this year as union workers bid an official farewell to John Howard's IR laws.
BLF assistant state secretary David Hanna was in particularly fine voice as he led the charge of some of the more raucous troops.
"Mate, this is a day for workers. It's celebrating the downfall of Johnny Howard," Mr Hanna said.
"It's great to be here every year and now we're fighting for some decent workers rights under this Labor government."
The festive cheer spilled over into the Brisbane City Council meeting last week as Lord Mayor Campbell Newman stunned his Labor opposition by praising Labor Day and the work of the trade unions.
But he delved into history to remind councillors of a 1980's Labor Day march where a young union official by the name of David Hinchliffe was punched in the jaw by an angry union member.
Apparently the "woman wearing an Electrical Trades Union badge" took exception to the former Deputy Mayor's attempts to intervene in an on-stage scuffle and "struck him on the jaw".
Cr Newman seemed to particularly enjoy the part where the police didn't intervene and the other union officials retired to the bar.
What a difference 20 years makes.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment