VIC: Workers protest at Reith s electorate office

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-1999
VIC: Workers protest at Reith s electorate office

MELBOURNE, Aug 20 AAP - Workers marched through the streets of federal Workplace Relations
Minister Peter Reith's Victorian seaside seat of Hastings today before pelting the minister's
office with eggs in protest against proposed changes to industrial relations laws.

About 500 union members joined in the protest, marching through the streets of the town in
Westernport Bay as they supported a vote of no confidence in Mr Reith and calling for his
resignation.

Victorian Trades Hall Council assistant secretary Natalie Sykes said members of the
Australian Workers Union, the Electrical Trades Union, the Victorian Education Union and the
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union joined in the protest.

She said a number of speakers addressed the crowd on changes to the laws which would cut
wages, increase the "casualisation" of the workforce and make belonging to a union difficult.

Ms Sykes said Mr Reith was not in his electoral office when the protest descended and
speakers claimed he was afraid to face the angry members of his electorate.

"We want to make sure we're getting the message out into local communities," she told AAP.

"And focusing the attention on the Liberal members who have drawn up the legislation and
supported it."

Ms Sykes said workers became heated when calling for Mr Reith's resignation and some pelted
his office with eggs.

She said the call would be put to him in writing today and warned this would be the
beginning of a series of protests.

AAP hmg/ra/kr/de

KEYWORD: INDUSTRIAL HASTINGS

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