❓ The opposition questions the government's support for public sector strike action against the federal government, given alleged attempts to restrict teacher strikes against state education policy. The minister defends the government's position by asserting support for unions and workers' rights.
AnsweredQoN 443Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES - STRIKE ACTION
I refer the minister to his government’s decision to actively encourage participation of public sector employees in yesterday’s strike action against the federal government’s industrial relations laws. (1) How does the minister justify this position, when a leaked briefing note obtained by the opposition from the Minister for Education and Training reveals that the minister was seeking advice on how to restrict industrial action by teachers against the planned introduction of outcomes-based education? (2) Can the minister explain to the house and the people of Western Australia why he would allow strike action against the federal government, on one hand, but would actively seek to restrict industrial action by teachers against his government, on the other hand? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER
I refer the minister to his government’s decision to actively encourage participation of public sector employees in yesterday’s strike action against the federal government’s industrial relations laws. (1) How does the minister justify this position, when a leaked briefing note obtained by the opposition from the Minister for Education and Training reveals that the minister was seeking advice on how to restrict industrial action by teachers against the planned introduction of outcomes-based education? (2) Can the minister explain to the house and the people of Western Australia why he would allow strike action against the federal government, on one hand, but would actively seek to restrict industrial action by teachers against his government, on the other hand? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
(1) How does the minister justify this position, when a leaked briefing note obtained by the opposition from the Minister for Education and Training reveals that the minister was seeking advice on how to restrict industrial action by teachers against the planned introduction of outcomes-based education? (2) Can the minister explain to the house and the people of Western Australia why he would allow strike action against the federal government, on one hand, but would actively seek to restrict industrial action by teachers against his government, on the other hand? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
(2) Can the minister explain to the house and the people of Western Australia why he would allow strike action against the federal government, on one hand, but would actively seek to restrict industrial action by teachers against his government, on the other hand? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
(1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
(1) How does the minister justify this position, when a leaked briefing note obtained by the opposition from the Minister for Education and Training reveals that the minister was seeking advice on how to restrict industrial action by teachers against the planned introduction of outcomes-based education? (2) Can the minister explain to the house and the people of Western Australia why he would allow strike action against the federal government, on one hand, but would actively seek to restrict industrial action by teachers against his government, on the other hand? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
(2) Can the minister explain to the house and the people of Western Australia why he would allow strike action against the federal government, on one hand, but would actively seek to restrict industrial action by teachers against his government, on the other hand? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
(1)-(2) The government urged Western Australian workers to go to the rally yesterday, because it believed it was very important that those workers attend. The vast bulk of workers were not paid. Most of the workers who attended the rally had to do so in their own time, at lunch hour or organise some time off. Union delegates and organisers at work sites were paid for reasonable time spent in organising fellow workers to attend yesterday’s rally, which was very well attended. Otherwise, all other workers had to attend in their lunch hour or on their own time. Regarding the actions to restrict teachers striking, on this side of the house we believe in democracy and unions and their right to do what they want to do, unlike members opposite who want to get rid of unions. How long was the member for Murray a member of the Police Union? Mr M.J. Cowper : Many years. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
Mr J.J.M. BOWLER : Many years; it is a good union, as is the State School Teachers’ Union. The government supports those unions and their right to strike.
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