Anti-Union Pledge Card

[Matilda]

11. Re the photo - yes, Abbott on the right,

and on the left Employment Minister, Eric Abetz. (Abetz's great-uncle Otto was a high-ranking Nazi. Just saying).

Six months after the election, Abbott has already announced his intention to review Industrial Relations laws, which are the only protection for low-paid workers, mostly in factories and retail. Everything is on the table, in spite of pre-election promises to the contrary.

And while I think there have been times when unions have abused their power, and I have no particular love for a number of officials in some of the right-wing unions, I don't doubt for a moment that if the law doesn't demand fair pay and good conditions for workers, they could never count on management to do the right thing. We all enjoy benefits in this country which were won for us by trade unions, and it's the same all over the western world.