Labor has again urged the Premier to expand the membership of his recently established Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council to include a representative from the union movement.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said Tasmanian workers deserve a voice in planning for the state’s recovery from COVID-19.
“20,000 Tasmanians have already lost their jobs since the start of this pandemic and many others have had their hours reduced,” Ms White said.
“With so many Tasmanian workers suffering pain and hardship, it is inconceivable that they will not have a voice on the body tasked with planning for our economic and social recovery.
“I wrote to the Premier last week, urging him to reconsider and include a representative from Unions Tasmania on the Economic and Social Recovery Council.
“Now we have the Independent Member for Clark Madeleine Ogilvie and the Liberal Speaker Sue Hickey backing Labor’s call.
“Workers across our state have performed fundamental and critically important jobs throughout this period, from supermarket employees to cleaners to health professionals.
“All of these people, who have kept Tasmania going during unprecedented challenges, deserve to be represented in the decision making that will shape our recovery.
“It is important to hear the voices of workers across a range of industries that will be responsible for leading us out of this crisis so that we can build a stronger, fairer and more resilient Tasmania.
“It is also critical to ensure that workers feel safe to return to their jobs.
“Expanding the council’s members to allow for a representative from the union movement is incredibly important to fully understanding how the economic and social recovery can best be achieved.
“I again urge the Premier to reconsider and include a representative from Unions Tasmania on the council to ensure working Tasmanians are given a voice at the table.”
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
