ACTU launches biggest ad campaign in a decade asking to ‘Change the Rules’
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has launched its biggest ad campaign since its ‘Know your rights at work’ ads, which ran from 2005 to 2007 in light of the Howard government’s WorkChoices legislation.
First airing on television yesterday, the ad campaign aims to promote more secure jobs and wage rises by calling for Australians to join the movement and “change the rules”.
“How does it feel when big business has too much power?” the ad starts off asking.
The ad features a couple discussing how they are struggling to make ends meet as penalty rates are cut and CEOs are making millions in bonuses.
Sally McManus, ACTU secretary, said in a statement: “Working people want change. They’re sick of one third of big businesses not paying tax. They’re sick of watching CEO bonuses are going up, company profits going up while their own pay falls behind basic living costs.
“The rules at work are broken. This campaign is about changing the rules for working people so Australians have more secure jobs and a fair pay rises.”
A survey conducted by the ACTU found 85% of workers had or have significant caring and parenting responsibilities but workplace laws don’t allow them to juggle the different responsibilities.
The ad asks Australians to change the rules for working women and young Australians.
Change the rules will run across TV, radio, print, out-of-home and online.
A case of Deja vu!
In 2006, following the launch of the Coalition’s much maligned WorkChoices, George Wright, Labor’s federal campaign director, created and ran the now famous [in political circles anyway] Your Rights at Work campaign. By November, when Kevin Rudd found himself Labor leader, the WorkChoices campaign had been so effective the Coalition was already well behind in the polls and all Rudd had to do to become Prime Minister was stay on his feet, not say anything stupid [now there’s a challenge!] and hope that a tired Howard remained as Liberal leader. [The only thing that could use the inevitability of a Rudd/Labor victory was a Rudd vs Costello battle].
Now, 18 months out from an election, the unions have commenced Your Rights at Work Mk2. In effect, Labor have begun their election campaign and unless the Coalition comes out fighting hard and soon, the next election could be lost before the Libs run their first ad – just like in 2006.
User ID not verified.
Is this a new ad? I thought it was recycled from years ago. I loved those Union ads. I went to school with one of the actors who played a bedraggled single mum. She actually came from an extremely wealthy family and had never been further west than the ANZAC bridge. Go Labor! Get back in and finish the decimation you started on 2007.
User ID not verified.
Its disgusting how the majority of share holders of these companies are ordinary low paid workers and are treated appallingly . Big business needs to be held accountable and if they decide to move offshore , then hit them with a massive departure tax making it unviable ! CEO’s and senior management of these companies are nothing more than legalized corporate criminals and should be treated as criminals. Not to mention the tax payer funded handouts these companies get and then boast about billion dollar prodits while their workers suffer.
User ID not verified.
What is nasty is how easy it is for companies to just employ contractors. It results in enslavement of the people trying to help themselves. The whole subject of contractors needs to be re-visited and examined closely. In general a backdoor for Dickensian working conditions. Offshoring of labour, another red flag.
User ID not verified.
I heard your stupid ad ! I bet that the woman who says in a tearful voice that she can’t afford her groceries has the latest mobile phone, Foxtel, internet and all the latest gadgets…nobody complains about the cost of this stuff ! People who work only on weekends shouldn’t be paid penalty rates. Union demands have already made Australia uncompetitive on the world stage and destroyed our manufacturing base. I bet the same whingers who demand higher wages are the first to buy things from overseas, because they are cheaper!
User ID not verified.
The main reason for this Ad is to boost flagging union membership. 36 union bosses and employees were referred to the police for proscecution in 2015. They steal from their members. It’s a disgrace. I pay my staff very well, good workers deserve to be paid well.
User ID not verified.
I am a long time unionist and the campaign was not the creation of George but it came from the union movement in NSW. It then became a National Union campaign under the direction of the ACTU. It was created to mobilse unionists in a campaign. I can’t believe this is being attributed to George! Let’s try to be factual in our support.
User ID not verified.
Time is now to change or we all become obsolete labour hire casuals in a liberal run big business for profits country. Or economy is starting hurt allready with casuals not able to get loans, take holidays or take sick days to look after there sick kids. Please save our way of life as we knew it.
User ID not verified.
The ‘workers’ get paid less because they can never do what the leadership does and there are a lot more people who CAN do what the ‘workers’ do. If any of the people featured in these ads were made CEO the company would go bust and nobody would have a job.
User ID not verified.
When i saw this ad with a woman stating she cant make ends meet
while CEO are making HUGE profits I started to wonder what country I was living in that an AD as general as this could be allowed as it is very malicious towards business’s not all Businesses
do the Wrong thing by staff ,some have extremely great working conditions and wages how can you make such a General aggressive AD that targets Business it is hard enough to try and survive at times we cannot be accountable for the choices people make in their lives there will always be people that winge or struggle no matter what ,then their will be people that make smarted choices
We have a family Business work took risks when we had small children we started off with 1 employee and after 25 years we have 40.I love that we have created employment we have a wide range of age groups and no Gender bias how does this make sense if you can do the job Male or Female it is in our best interest to employ the best person ,wages are the same it depends on your position and ability . Some people work extremely and some feel a sense of entitlement . We as a Business owners also get RIPPED OFF by
other Businesses that do not pat their bills ,declare bankruptcy to get out of paying creditors ,staff and the ATO once they have done that they go on living a very Luxuries lifestyle and start up another Business theses people are crooks and know how to work the system ,so we stand to loose our Business and staff made redundant .This AD is sooo Wrong in every way simply for winning votes DISGRACEFUL .
User ID not verified.
I am a Business owner we do not employ contractors
we are looking at off shore options this does not mean we will let any staff go as a result – It is not always easy keeping your head above water in Business ,we put Ads out for workers and struggle to get
esquires unless you pay astronomical amount of money to an Agency
who also RIP US OFF where is our fair go where is our help and support .
User ID not verified.
100 % correct what a stupid AD false and misleading
User ID not verified.
I Know exactly try run a Business become a CEO then you can also earn a handsome wage .The Ad is Pathetic
User ID not verified.
Go Sally…. get rid of these GREEDY CEO …. corporate greed …. not wanted in AUSTRALIA…. they are nothing but corporate criminals with no regard for their employees … just the next unjustifiable bonus….!!!!
User ID not verified.
Bullshit
User ID not verified.
This ad is made with paid actors. The aboriginal Leonie has been staring in Australian tv shows as teenager. Shows the ads are union propaganda bs
User ID not verified.