The Australian Members of Parliaments’ visit today(Saturday) at BHP Billiton’s Hillside
Aluminium factory in Richards Bay, Kwazulu-Natal is expected to spark fresh anger and
indignation among metalworkers.
Australian government recently ratified new labour market deregulation clauses which
encouraged casualisation and extensive liberalization of existing clauses in an effort to
increase labour flexibility laws.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa has vowed to mount furious protest
demonstrations against the visiting Australian MPs in support of vulnerable casual
workers in Australia since the introduction of the new flexible labour laws. Casual
employment is prevalent in Australia in that it has expanded in the private sector and in
the public service to more than 25% of employment population.
NUMSA is making preparations to display its displeasure at the visiting Australian MPs
unwelcome at their reception in the Richards’ Bay airport at 10:30 am Saturday (29
April, 2006), the union’s vice- president Cedric Gina said yesterday.
“Australia has consistently recorded one of the highest levels of temporary employment
among most countries. We have to show them they are not welcome here because labour
market deregulation in conjunction with structural economic change in their country has
resulted in the expansion of unregulated sphere of individual contracts governed by the
common law. That situation is not wanted in this country,” he said.
A group of Australian MPs will be visiting Saturday and are expected to drive through
the plant operations dressed in orange dustcoats. Their visit is managed by the Australian
Trade Commission in Pretoria.
For more information contact Mziwakhe Hlangani, National information officer at 082
940 7116.