Industrial relations campaign update
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The NSW transport minister, John Watkins, has slammed Howard’s workplace reforms as “an arrogant abuse of power” because “[a]ll these plans were hatched after the election, when the Coalition gained control of the Senate.” His Government will provide free public transport to the Last Weekend picnic in opposition to the plans.
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In last Wednesday’s New Matilda, Rich Bowden looked at “the unions’ increasingly sophisticated marketing strategy.” Phil Davey, media officer for Unions NSW, said they planned to keep up the pressure for several years: “We are hopeful the campaign will continue to build over a three to five year period and our challenge is to keep these issues before the public during this time.”
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The Office of the Employment Advocate, which is responsible for approving AWAs, has come under fire for pushing a sample agreement that provides no sick leave, holidays, or weekend or overtime rates. The OEA says it meets the no disadvantage test, partly because the agreement forces people to work longer hours than the award! And it’s not just the unions who think the OEA has been shafting workers:
In a submission yet to be made to a Senate inquiry into individual agreements, an industrial officer for an employers’ association who did not wish to be named wrote: “It is abundantly clear … that the no-disadvantage test is regularly being overlooked, or perhaps deliberately avoided.”
Howard plans to scrap the no-disadvantage test altogether, which will allow employers to undercut awards without providing compensation.
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The Government has been forced to explain where it will get the $20 000 000 it intends to spend on IR propaganda — it will come out of DEWR’s general budget. Shadow Attorney-General Nicola Roxon points out that other advertising campaigns have been separately itemised. The Government is hiding its ad budget from public scrutiny.
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A spokesperson for Kevin Andrews says Centrelink will be used to force workers onto individual agreements. Given that business has the right to offer an AWA on a take it or leave it basis, the only people who will have a right to collective bargaining are those who already have a collective agreement. Moreover, as Liam Hogan points out, a job-seeker can’t possibly negotiate on an equal footing with their prospective employer if Centrelink will cut their payments. Bosses won’t need to coerce people — the Government will do it for them. Even those who support AWAs should not support this plan.
