December 5, 2012
The Electrical Trades Union has denied there has been any union orchestrated boycott of a Kingaroy small business.
Jason Frecklington – husband of local member Deb Frecklington – said on Saturday he had been told by customers that unionists were boycotting his shop in protest at job losses at Stanwell.
However ETU media officer Andrew Irvine told southburnett.com.au today he had spoken to both ETU organisers on site at Tarong and they had denied there had been any orchestrated campaign against the shop.
“Nothing was called for by the unions,” Mr Irvine said.
He believed Mr Frecklington was “clutching at straws” because of the general downturn and the pressure that had been put on his wife because of the Stanwell job losses.
Mr Irvine said he was not going to “endorse or disendorse” the shop.
“People can make their own decisions,” he said. “They’ll make up their own minds.”
But Mr Irvine said “it would help” if Mrs Frecklington came out and admitted that the State Government had forced the job losses rather than claiming that it was purely a Stanwell decision.
Local ETU organiser Dan McGaw said it came as no surprise that cafes and other non-essential services in the South Burnett were suffering “under the weight of job uncertainty and pending redundancies”.
“Look at the 150 or so jobs already lost at Tarong, Tarong North mine (sic) and Ergon, look at the closure of nursing homes and the slashing of government services,” Mr McGaw said.
“There is just less money going around and people are fearful for their futures.
“The fact that local LNP MP Deb Frecklington has supported the slash and burn policies of the Newman Government shows where her loyalty lies and it is not with the people of the South Burnett.
“When all these job losses were being announced we warned that there would be a reverse multiplier effect, with local businesses suffering from the downturn in discretionary incomes.”
Mr McGaw said the fact that one such business suffering a downturn in trade was a cafe owned by the local LNP members’ husband was “a pure coincidence” and not part of any orchestrated plan on behalf of the unions.
“Small towns are what they are. If you are seen to be selling out your community, people will vote with their feet and take their business elsewhere and I understand there is quite a lot of competition.
“Might be time for both Frecklingtons to try a loyalty card.”
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