Hundreds of union and community members will gather today for May Day celebrations in Hobart.

May Day is a day for union members to celebrate all that they have achieved together for workers. In Australia, unions have fought for and won conditions that many workers now take for granted such as safety laws, superannuation, minimum wages, and paid leave.

May Day is also an opportunity to highlight the challenges facing workers today.

Unions Tasmania Secretary, Jessica Munday, says this year workers wont just be celebrating pride in the union movements achievements, but will also be rallying for a change of government after years of Scott Morrison failing to do anything to improve workers wages and job security.

Scott Morrison has been missing in action when it comes to wages, Ms Munday said.

This years May Day celebrations fall at the pointy end of an election campaign where one of the key issues for voters is the skyrocketing cost of living against wages that have barely budged for almost a decade under successive Liberal Governments.

Tasmanian workers didnt need inflation data to tell them that costs are going up, but they got it this week when the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed Hobart inflation at 5.8%, higher than the national average, and the third highest in the country. With the latest wage data showing Tasmanian wages growing at 3%, this means our wages are effectively going backwards.

There is no solution to a cost-of-living crisis that does not involve workers receiving decent pay rises, said Ms Munday. Tasmanian workers deserve a government that has a plan to grow wages. They cannot afford another three years of Scott Morrison.

March details

WHEN: Saturday 30 April

WHERE: CPSU office (rear entrance via Victoria Street)

TIME: Media are invited to obtain comment from Jessica Munday and local workers at 11.45am

before the March commences at approximately 12 noon.

For further information contact Jessica Munday on 0417 454 809

Download PDF: Media Release: Tasmanian unions to celebrate May Day in Hobart 300422.pdf