Labour Day

The labour day holiday has been restored to its rightful calendar date in Queensland.

This follows the Newman government’s attempt to airbrush this very significant date (May 1^st) from Queensland history.

The LNP looks askance on the facts of history behind the labour day observation.

It doesn’t sit well with their dodgy value system to acknowledge that the Labor movement was born during the 1891 shearers’ strike which heralded the development of a political force which became the ALP.

They probably would prefer not to be reminded of the success of that movement, and its achievement of political power at both state and federal levels.

It seems that the workers of Australia, especially those who are casual employees, and who come from the most disadvantaged groups (students and backpackers) need the protection of unions to redress the stark power imbalance that holds them in thrall to their employers, whether they be labour hire companies or multinationals.

The plethora of scams revealed during the last couple of years bears this out.

Remember, these are the tip of the iceberg. For every rip-off revealed there are probably half a dozen that remain hidden.

It's worth recalling William Kidston's words -

Then keep your heads, I say, my boys; your comrades in the town
Will help you yet to win a vote and put your tyrants down.
Throw your old guns aside, my boys; the ballot is the thing
They did not have to reckon with when George the Fourth was king.
The ballot is the thing, my boys, the ballot is the thing
Will show these men how long it is since George the Fourth was king. *

*Kidston later became Premier of Queensland.