Released 25/07/2017
Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations, Mick Gentleman, will tonight speak at the 2016 Unions ACT May Day Celebration.
May Day is an important day for the labor movement and in the ACT has long been a celebration of the fight for workers rights.
The origins of May Day lie in the campaign for an 8 hour working day and the Haymarket Affair in Chicago in 1886. From the time of the industrial revolution, workers campaigned for a restricted working week and improved conditions. For workers, the campaign for an eight hour day would mean 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation and 8 hours of rest.
“On the 1st of May, workers all over the world gather to celebrate the achievements of unions in building the rights and entitlements of workers and their families. It is an opportunity to celebrate. It is also an opportunity for each of us to reflect on the sacrifices that were made to gain the benefits we enjoy today, Minister Gentleman said.
I am very proud to say that more than 5,900 low paid workers will gain access to Portable Long Service Leave with the passage of legislation during the May sitting week. These workers in the Aged Care and Waste management industries often miss out on these entitlements due to workforce transience. The ACT Government is committed to workers rights and will continue to strive to improve them”, Minister Gentleman added.
The ACT has the broadest portable long service leave scheme in the nation.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases