THE Bendigo Trades Hall Council will call on State and Federal Governments to address rising living costs this May Day.<\/p>\n
Also known as International Workers\u2019 Day, the BTHC and their affiliates will gather for a breakfast and march this Sunday to demand a living wage for all, increased public housing to meet demand and an end to the gender pay gap.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose demands will be formulated into a Megaphone petition which will launch on May Day itself. This will go out to all levels of government to put pressure on the government to alleviate the cost of living,\u201d said Luke Martin, BTHC secretary.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said the union organisation would campaign for a five per cent wage increase across all awards and a living wage for people receiving government welfare payments.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople who are currently living on $43 a day just cannot survive. We found evidence during COVID where they had increased payments, people were able to get ahead and better themselves, so we know that sort of thing works,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
BTHC vice-president David Fox said Australia\u2019s future was \u201cnot looking very good\u201d, despite being \u201cthe jewel in the crown of the whole entire world at one stage\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re talking about affordable public housing because we\u2019ve got a generation that can no longer buy a house. No one can, to be honest with you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen are still disproportionately worse off, especially when it comes to superannuation because during the time you do take maternity leave or any other types of leave, you aren\u2019t able to receive any superannuation contributions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time a woman retires now has been put up to 67 years of age. They\u2019re going to probably have half the earnings in their superannuation compared to what a male would, if you\u2019re lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n
The May Day march will step off outside the Trades Hall on View Street at 9.30am, with unionists and other community members invited to join.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Bendigo Trades Hall Council will call on State and Federal Governments to address rising living costs this May Day. Also known as International Workers\u2019 Day, the BTHC and their affiliates will gather for a breakfast and march this Sunday to demand a living wage for all, increased public housing to meet demand and an […]<\/p>\n