Red Rag

The Government’s advertising campaign has been ineffective so far. A Morgan poll says only 1% more people have heard of the IR proposals since the WorkChoices campaign began. 49% of respondents opposed the package, with a measly 17% in support.

In particular, the WorkChoices hotline has been a spectacular failure. The operators are worried about the information they are giving out — they’re forced to mislead workers, while giving employers advice on how to sack people and cut their wages. The Government has already sacked fifty call centre staff in Sydney because nobody was ringing the hotline, and Crikey reported yesterday that a Melbourne call centre was also closed, “apparently because of a lack of public interest about the new workplace changes.”

After reviewing the policy detail announced last week, the Salvation Army has joined the ranks of religious opposition to WorkChoices: “When you look at this reform package from the most disadvantaged in Australia, it is not ethical because it exploits them.” Meanwhile, Anglican Primate Dr Phillip Aspinall has reiterated his concerns, and promised to scrutinise the legislation closely.

The WorkChoices propaganda campaign has been talking up the Office of Workplace Services, promising that “your rights will be protected” by it — but the facts tell a different story. In 2002-03, it received 5254 complaints, substantiated 3500, but only recovered monies in 3 cases. With a prosecution success rate of less than 1% of substantiated claims, it’s hard to believe the Office will protect anything at all.

We’ve all heard about Billy, the jobseeker who is offered a “take it or leave it” AWA that strips him of all holidays, penalty rates, and overtime loadings, with no compensatory wage increase. Kevin Andrews confirmed that if Billy turns down the job because he doesn’t want to be exploited, he will be breached and lose his Centrelink payments.

When Peter Costello said there was “nothing magic in a number”, it was thought he planned to scap unfair dismissal protections across the board at some point in the future. But lawyers are questioning whether the Government is already weakening protections for workers in big firms, by reversing the current onus of proof in certain cases: “The question which is not answered in WorkChoices is how is the onus of proof going to work in the future.”

It will be harder for researchers to assess the impact of the WorkChoices package, because the Australian Bureau of Statistics is scrapping an important work-related statistical measure. Starting next year, the ABS Earnings and Hours survey will no longer ask on what basis people are employed — which means it will be impossible to compare AWAs to other measures. The Government was embarrassed by ABS figures that show non-managerial workers earn less than people on collective agreements.

While the WorkChoices propaganda claims it will provide family-friendly workplaces, the truth is it will wind back recent gains won by unions in the Industrial Relations Commission. Dr Jill Murray asked, “Why go back to the 1970s standards when we have got a 2005 standard? It’s a tragedy for families. It is going to be desperately hard for them to achieve a work-family balance”.

Kim Beazley challenged John Howard to a televised debate on the IR changes; Howard is chicken.

Workers who feature in the Government’s WorkChoices propaganda campaign are fuming about being misled: they were told they were being filmed for a workplace safety video. Kevin Andrews says they signed a release form, but perhaps they wouldn’t have signed it if they knew what the footage was actually going to be used for?

The Electrical Trades Union has embraced the internet to keep its members informed and campaign against the Howard Government. Phil Cleary says, “Our members express frustration about how the media portrays trade unionists, so we see the podcast as a way to disseminate more objective and independent views about trade unionists.” Find out more about the Spark podcast, or subscribe to the feed.