Kevin Rudd, likely Australian PM-in-waiting, explains to big business...

[Joe Chi Minh]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 6 hours ago (Google)

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Rudd defends shift of profits to wages
Email Print Normal font Large font Mark Davis Political Correspondent
May 3, 2007

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LABOR'S industrial relations policy would cut the profits of some companies to shift income back into workers' pay packets, the Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd, declared yesterday.

He said that while Labor would consult employers over the details of the policy, he would not resile from supporting a more balanced industrial relations system.

"If Mr Howard's laws are going to rip away employees' entitlements to penalty rates, overtime, redundancy pay and holiday pay, my responsibility, standing up for working Australian families, is to restore those basic rights," Mr Rudd said.

"Now if some business leaders object to that, I understand, because that is money in the pockets of working families as opposed to money on the bottom line to certain companies."

Employers have criticised Labor's plans to scrap individual Australian Workplace Agreements to give stronger legal backing for collective bargaining and to reinstate unfair dismissal rights for employees at small businesses.

But the ACTU president, Sharan Burrow, hit back at mining companies such as BHP Billiton, saying they were making "mega profits" and were trying to defend their power over workers.

"The message to John Howard's greedy corporations is back off; back off from a fight against working Australians who are struggling to keep their heads above water," she said.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-defends-shift-of-profits-to-wages/2007/05/02/1177788228096.html

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Be of good cheer, folks! The world does look as if it's a-changing. Italy, possibly France, Scotland, and the US of A, all seem to be undergoing a seismic shift that is long overdue. How long before the English and Welsh are able to shake of their corporatist shackles?

[Norrin Radd]

1. Good. We need that here and elsewhere, as well.

[Joe Chi Minh]

2. Deleted article. I take that back. I only read the first part. But I like that

term, "market fundamentalism".