SA UNIONS LAUNCHES WORKCOVER PUBLIC CAMPAIGN

5 March 2008

SA Unions today begins its public campaign in defence of WorkCover, with the launch of radio advertising in Adelaide.

The two advertisements feature a man and a woman speaking directly to Premier Mike Rann about the impact his proposed WorkCover cuts could have on them and their families.

The ads are the first in what will be a targeted advertising campaign that will run for the foreseeable future until the WorkCover debacle is resolved.

Their content mirrors feedback from qualitative research commissioned by SA Unions to examine public attitudes and the potential impact of the Government's Bill.

"We know these are the real concerns of real people - because that's what they've told us, SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says.

"Mums are worried about the impact the cuts could have on their children, Dads are worried about their ability to provide for their families and make a safe return to work."

"For some, the spectre of being forced to sell their house with rising interest rates and mortgage payments is a very real possibility if they were injured and their WorkCover payments were slashed."

"WorkCover can be fixed without ripping support away from the injured."

"We urge Mr Rann to listen to the concerns of his constituency and negotiate a better way - a way that doesn't kick a worker in the guts while they're down, yet deliver a bonus to business", Ms Giles says.

"The first step ought to be a proper analysis of the Bill, and constructive co-operation with the Union movement to achieve a fair solution."

"Under these changes, WorkCover will not be the most generous scheme in the country as the government claims.  Nor will people currently on WorkCover be spared from the changes as the government is also claiming.

"There is a better way", Ms Giles says.