Anthony Albanese MP, Federal Member for Grayndler, spoke out in Parliament last night against the Howard Government’s attacks on working families in Grayndler.

Mr Albanese drew attention to the case of David Thomas and the former employees of WM Jago and Sons.

David Thomas retired after 48 years of service as a semi-trailer. A week after his retirement the company went into receivership.

Mr Thomas is still waiting for the $25,500 worth of entitlements owed to him.

The Howard government’s General Employment Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS) has also brought no hope for David Thomas. His application was refused outright.

The Howard government continues to leave innocent workers like David Thomas and his former colleagues out in the cold.

Workers and their families in Grayndler and around this country deserve job security and financial certainty.

The Howard government’s proposed changes to the unfair dismissal laws will further undermine the job security of some 4 million workers in Australia.

Employees of small businesses will be subject to a regime that allows them no course of appeal if they are unfairly sacked, no warnings and no justice.

This anti-worker and, ultimately, anti-family attitude is typical of this government’s ideologically indulgent agenda.

The Howard government is attacking families, workers and unions by attempting to get rid of the minimum wage and undermining the rights of workers to collectively bargain.

David Thomas is a proud member of the Transport Workers Union. Unions have continued to defend workers in situations like that which confronts David, yet the Howard government is determined to take that right away.

For Mr Albanese’s full speech to the Parliament click here: ADJOURNMENT: Workplace Relations