|
Business outcry over Labor plan to scrap AWAs is political rather than factual
The outcry of business groups ACCI and BCA against Labor’s plan to scrap AWA individual contracts shows some business leaders are more interested in playing politics than responding to genuine community concern over the Federal Government’s IR laws.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said today: “It is not surprising that some business groups are speaking out in favour of the Howard Government’s IR laws.
The Howard Government’s unfair IR laws have given many employers the power to unilaterally dictate the terms and conditions of workers’ wages and conditions.
The IR laws allow employers to insist workers sign an AWA individual contract that cuts their wages and conditions as a condition of getting a job.
Not all employers are doing this, but many are taking advantage of the new IR laws to simply say ‘Take it or leave it’.
We have even seen some businesses using the new IR laws to sack workers unfairly and to employ people in the same jobs at lower wages.
We have also seen terrible things done to workers under the Government’s IR laws. Cases like the Cowra abattoir, the Spotlight retail chain, Darrell Lea, Redwin cosmetics, Tristar, Pow Juice, the Vopak temrinal, Feltex carpets, United Petroleum in Tasmania, the Mean Fiddler Irish pub and many others show just how unfair the IR laws are.
Responsible businesses should be opposing this sort of behaviour and the laws that allow it to happen.
This is the type of conduct and abuse of working people’s rights that Labor’s IR policy is designed to stop and I think responsible businesses will support Labor’s proposals in this regard.
Many workers are being treated unfairly and working families are very concerned about the downward pressure on their living standards as a result of the new IR laws and this is what the Labor Party is rightfully responding to.
ABS data shows that wages for full time workers have dropped in real terms in the 12 months since the WorkChoices IR laws were introduced.
Labor’s alternative IR plans are not everything unions would have wanted, but they do get rid of the Howard Governments’ IR laws and restore balance and fairness to Australian workplaces.
It is disappointing that some business groups would try to exaggerate the impact of Labor’s IR plan on the mining industry.
Official Government data shows that nine out of ten AWA individual contracts do not relate to mining at all and that most AWAs are in fact being registered in the retail, hospitality and manufacturing areas where award conditions like penalty rates, overtime, and leave loading are being slashed at an alarming rate.
Collective bargaining, a central feature of Labor’s IR policy, has a demonstrated record of improving productivity, creating jobs and would contribute to a stronger economy,” said Ms Burrow.
ACTU Media Release
3 May 2007
AWA individual contracts — coverage by industry
(from WorkChoices commencement to March 2007)
Industry |
No. of AWAs |
% of AWAs |
Retail Trade |
55,036 |
18% |
Accommodation and Food Services |
45,061 |
15% |
Manufacturing |
25,623 |
8% |
Other Services |
22,992 |
8% |
Mining |
22,660 |
7% |
Public Administration and Safety |
18,314 |
6% |
Construction |
18,122 |
6% |
Information Media and Telecommunications |
17,276 |
6% |
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services |
14,968 |
5% |
Health Care and Social Assistance |
12,903 |
4% |
AWAs in other industries |
53,438 |
17% |
Total AWAs registered under new IR laws |
306,393 |
100% |
Source: Office of the Employment Advocate:
http://www.oea.gov.au/docs/news/factsheet_mar07.pdf |
