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Mr BRYCE GAUDRY (Newcastle—Parliamentary Secretary) [5.42 p.m.]: Tonight I draw to the attention of the House the plight of workers at Boeing at the Williamtown Air Force base who are charged with the responsibility of keeping our FA-18 fighter force in peak condition. I refer also to their ongoing dispute, which has now lasted more than 100 days. Boeing has locked the workers out after refusing to accept the collective bargaining agreement of the Australian Workers Union [AWU] to improve and sustain their working conditions and entitlements. They are being forced to continue to work on contracts that are determined and enforced by Boeing, a multinational company that I am sure anyone would agree has total bargaining power.
This massive multinational corporation has annual revenue of over $52 billion and employs more than 159,000 people throughout 67 countries. One would not expect Boeing to say to its workers, "You have equal rights with us across the table in an individual bargaining situation." Many Boeing workers came from the armed forces and had the protection of good wages and conditions in the Air Force and retirement groups such as the RSL ensured that their conditions and entitlements were maintained. Those workers have sought the assistance of the AWU. For philosophical reasons—something that has been admitted by Boeing—it has refused to negotiate with the AWU and workers have been out for more than 100 days.
I am sure honourable members can imagine the financial and emotional stress and strain that has been placed on workers and their families. I congratulate them on their determination, commitment and adherence to the collective bargaining principles and to the rights of workers to have union coverage, which is what they are fighting for. This vanguard of workers is trying to sustain collective bargaining rights and union representation against the philosophical position of the Howard Government and Boeing's determination to adhere to those principles. Think back to other situations involving the Liberal Party. Take, for example, the involvement of the Treasurer in Mudginberri and the Dollar Sweets cases.
There was a commitment to individualism, to the supposed rights of individuals to push their own barrow, and to equal relationships between employer and employee. That is all very well if someone is in an advantageous position, but the majority of workers have only progressed under an industrial relations system that gives trade unions a clear right to work collectively with their members to improve working conditions and entitlements. That is all that the workers at Boeing are asking for. They have been well supported by the Trades Hall council, retired unionists, trade union members and members of the public, with both goods and finance. It is important to recognise that their campaign is the campaign for the majority of Australia's workers. These workers are telling Boeing and the Howard Government that this industrial relations approach is totally unsatisfactory. The right to collective bargaining must be supported and fought for. I congratulate Bill Shorten of the Australian Workers Union; Kevin Maher, the AWU local secretary; John Boyd and all AWU Northern members on their continued campaign for fairness.