Union rallies to ensure jobs

AMWU delegates Stephen Jones and Viv Rowe were among the hundred or so employees and unionists at yesterday’s rally in South Street.

CHRIS ISON

DETERMINED to put a stop to privatisation and ensure jobs for their future, over 150 workers gathered outside the Queensland Rail workshops in Rockhampton yesterday.

Chris Harper, of Callide Mine at Biloela, was one of the faces in the crowd at the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union rally, ready to do his part in sending a message to the government.

“It is about fellow union members losing their jobs,” Chris said. “It shouldn’t be happening.”

He believed rallies such as yesterday’s worked to reinforce their feelings to the Government but were also about getting a message to the community.

“It shows the workers are committed to the cause. It is to help and show support for our brothers,” he said.

Addressing the crowd – consisting mostly of QR workers – AMWU state secretary Andrew Dettmer said the rally was an opportunity to make clear that the future of rail manufacturing, in particular, was under threat.

“We want to make sure there are jobs for ourselves, for our kids and for our grandkids,” Mr Dettmer said. “We want a society that benefits working Australia.”

Manufacturing industry created long-term jobs for highly skilled workers, Mr Dettmer said. It was also responsible for creating population growth outside South-East Queensland.

“Manufacturing is what builds the future.”

He said their biggest fear, apart from job losses, was that privatisation of QR would mean a change in government policies, future contracts would go overseas and workshops such as those in Rockhampton would close.

And as a spokesperson for a union famous for its campaigns, he said the message was clear: “Make it here or jobs disappear.”

The AMWU will conduct a similar rally in Gladstone today.