Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to commend the 200 Esso Longford workers who have been locked out of their place of employment for 365 days. That's right: it is a year since the Esso Longford workers were originally locked out of their workplace. They have been put through the mill for a year. These are Sale locals. These are men and women, 200 of them, who were asked to take a 40 per cent pay cut off the back of five people in Western Australia determining their work conditions. This is wrong. The pendulum has swung too far. I want to commend these workers who are in a fight not just for their own livelihoods but for the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Australian workers who don't want their work conditions and their remuneration determined by people on the other side of this country in a small, closed conversation. These people are brave. They are courageous. They work for a company that paid no tax in this country last year. These people are Australian heroes. For 365 days they have stood up for their working conditions, not only for themselves but also for workers across this country. I want to say to them: we on this side of the chamber support you, we understand why you're doing what you're doing and we're barracking for a win, not just for you but for all workers.