Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Bill Shorten has addressed 250 fire and rescue workers at a meeting in Melbourne today, thanking them for the invaluable work they do.

 Victorians understand, more than most, how important our fire and rescue workers are to protecting our families, our homes and our livelihoods.

 Labor understands the sacrifices our fire and rescue workers and their families make every day, from rescuing kids from locked cars to saving lives and property.

 That’s why under Labor the rights and entitlements of our fire and rescue workers are protected.

 The Liberals only plan for workplace relations is to cut wages and conditions to the bone through unfair individual contracts.

 Tony Abbott wants to take Australian workplaces back to the days of WorkChoices.

 The Minister said that a crystal ball wasn’t necessary because we could see exactly how Liberals govern across the country.

 The Liberals have shown that they are bad employers; their only plan is to cut essential services and jobs to the bone.

 The Napthine Liberal Government in Victoria has announced it will cut $66 million from the VIC CFA budget, reducing recruitment and support staff across the state.

 The Napthine Liberal Government has also refused to act and support our fire and rescue workers exposed to dangerous, cancer causing chemicals.

 Fire and rescue workers around the nation, like all hard working Australians, know that Liberals cannot be trusted on workplace relations and safety.

 The Gillard Labor Government has a clear plan for a fairer, stronger and smarter Australia in the future, which includes supporting our essential services workforce.