GARDS News Item

Workers Launch Campaign - Make James Hardie Pay
08/09/04
On Wednesday the 8th of September a bus carrying Gippsland asbestos sufferers and their families took the drive to Parliament House to help launch the campaign with UNIONS & ADASVIC. The title for the campaign is Asbestos Kills..... Make James Hardie Pay.

The face on the campaign posters is one of our own GARDS members. Well done Fred!

This campaign is to highlight the 1.2 billion shortfall that James Hardie left in its wake when it took its money lock, stock and barrel and made its new corporate headquarters in the Netherlands. James Hardie denied it did this to avoid paying more compensation. But in its dealings the James Hardie Corporation has tried to black mail state governments into accepting a statutory scheme which would effectively take away a claimants common law right to sue. Victoria's Attorney General Rob Hulls criticised the company's scheme as a "cockamamie" bid to reduce compensation payouts by taking away victims' rights to sue. Mr Hulls said, "It's a damned disgrace that a company like James Hardie has shown such callous disregard for loyal workers, for innocent workers - and their tragic plight".

Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Leigh Hubbard said 10,000 Victorians were expected to die from asbestos-related diseases by 2020, which equated to 10 a week. Most of these illnesses will be caused by breathing in asbestos fibres from James Hardie products.

There were 500 yellow flowers one for every person in Victoria expected to get an asbestos related disease this year, placed on the steps of parliament house.

Next week on Wednesday the 15th of September at 11.00am there will be a rally/march from Victorian Trades Hall to the Stock Exchange to coincide with a James Hardie stock holders information meeting in Sydney happening at the same time. It is expected that there will be 10,000 people at the march next week. You can be assured that there will be a presence from GARDS at this, with banners flying.

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