Achieving a Yes vote of at least 80 per cent for the upcoming Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum and establishing a national transition authority will be top priorities for Hunter unions in the next 12 months.
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"We are backing our Indigenous brothers and sisters and also progressing the policies and initiatives that workers took to the federal and state elections particularly around the public sector and public services and manufacturing," Hunter Workers secretary Leigh Shears said at Sunday's Newcastle May Day rally.
Union members and Labor MPs from across the Hunter joined the annual rally from Workshop Way to Foreshore Park.
This year's May Day celebrations coincide with the Labor Party's victories in the federal and state elections in the last 12 months.
Mr Shears said Labor's success had been built on prioritising working-class issues.
"It's been a long time since we had a broad suite of policies that actually met the needs of working-class people," he said.
"It's a testament to campaigning that our unions and members have done over many years to get the politicians to admit 'hang on, we have got something wrong here' we need to return to our grassroots values, which are working-class values."
"Those are things like your rights at work, your wages and living standards. Sure we need profitable businesses but it's not an 'and or' equation.
Hunter Workers has been a vocal supporter of a national and regional transitional authority to support workers and communities affected by the clean energy transition.
Mr Shears said he was hopeful such an authority would be established in the next 12 months.
"It's an exciting and challenging time for workers. The transition authority is another example of a working-class policy initiative. That's the way it's always been in our region - workers have driven what's needed for their communities," he said.
"There is definitely a need for a National Transitional Authority to oversee the regional transition authority and to be a conduit link to bring investment and connect communities."
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Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
