Australian Workplace Agreements

Senate IR inquiry a six day sham

The Howard Government has agreed to a Senate Inquiry into the biggest workplace law changes in 100 years but it will be one of the shortest Inquiries on record says the ACTU.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said today:

"Why the rush for new laws so radical that they threaten Anzac Day and Christmas Day public holidays?

The Senate needs to have a comprehensive look at the Government's proposed new laws and examine the impact they will have on the take home pay and basic entitlements of Australian workers.

Thousands of Australians have emailed, phoned or written to Senators calling for a proper and thorough Senate Inquiry.

It is an insult to those people and the millions of Australian workers and families whose basic rights will be affected by the laws that the best the Government can do is a slap-dash six day Senate Inquiry.

This is a clear sign that the Government is simply not listening to the Australian community.

Key impacts the Inquiry should examine include:

Losing public holidays
The Inquiry must look at the impact of the new laws on more than five million workers who the Australian Bureau of Statistics says will enter the workforce or change jobs in the next five years.

These people could be forced to give away their public holidays, meal breaks, overtime and other basic entitlements just to get a job.

Under the Government's proposals, workers can be forced to sign an individual contract that removes basic conditions like public holidays, overtime, redundancy pay, shift penalties and other basic entitlements each time they start a new job.

The Senate Inquiry should examine whether the Prime Minister has lied to the Australian people by claiming public holidays would not be removed in this way.

Unemployed forced to accept any individual contract
The Inquiry also needs to examine the dilemma that will face unemployed people who are offered an individual contract such as the Prime Minister's favourite example of 'Billy'.

Centrelink rule changes will mean that unemployed people will have to accept any individual contract they are offered or else lose their unemployment benefits for 8 weeks.

This means that unemployed people such as 'Billy' could have no money to live on if they refuse a job offer -- even if it does not provide public holidays, overtime, penalty rates, breaks, bonuses, leave loading, allowances and unfair dismissal protection.

The Inquiry should examine whether the new laws will worsen homelessness and poverty in Australia."

Media Contact: Susannah Greenleaf 0418 479 455

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/general/20051013_inquiry.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005