UnionsACT will host a free community celebration on the Family & Community Day public holiday on 26 September at the Westside Acton Park.
The family event will include free live music, face-painting, colouring-in and other activities for kids.
The event will take place on Monday 26 September, from 11am until 3pm at Westside Acton Park (3 Barrine Dr, Acton).
The Family and Community Day public holiday has a long and proud union history.
The public holiday originated in 1932 and was originally called Union Picnic Day. It was created when a number of unions came together to run a picnic for members after the Capital Territory was first formed. Over the years, it was incorporated into Awards and industrial agreements, and eventually became a popular public holiday celebrated by the entire community.
In 1977, 1997 and 2000, various employer organisations unsuccessfully tried to have the Union Picnic Day public holiday abolished, and in 2005 the Howard Government used the WorkChoices laws to finally remove Union Picnic Day.
After a strong campaign by unions, in 2007 the ACT Government agreed to re-instate Union Picnic Day, this time re-named as Family and Community Day.
Today, the public holiday created by union members is enjoyed by the entire community.
More information is available here: http://www.weareunioncbr.org.au/family_and_community_day_2016
For more comment
Alex White 0403 694 397
