General

Federal Election information

Fed Govt's job data wrong: ACTU

Today's ABS data reveals that the number of new jobs created over the past year is less than were created in the year to April 2005, prior to the release of the Government's new IR laws.

Today's ABS data reveals that the number of new jobs created over the past year is less than were created in the year to April 2005, prior to the release of the Government's new IR laws.

This proves the Federal Government is wrong to claim its IR laws have created jobs and instead shows that the mining boom is the most important driver of Australia's economy said the ACTU.

ABS Labour Force data released today shows that there were 44,000 fewer jobs created last year than in 2004-05 prior to the new IR laws being introduced in March 2006.

ABS seasonally adjusted data shows 309,600 jobs were created in the year to April 2007 while 353,600 jobs were created in the year to April 2005.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said today:

"The Federal Government has wrongly tried to claim that getting rid of workers' protections against unfair dismissal has been good for job creation.

But today's data shows there is actually no credible link between the IR laws and job creation.

In fact, the Federal Government's IR laws leave workers exposed to big reductions in wages and conditions or the loss of their jobs when the mining boom is over.

Under the new IR laws, employers can dismiss workers with no notice for 'operational reasons'. This makes it easier to sack workers during an economic downturn.

The new IR laws also make it easier for employers to cut penalty rates, overtime pay and redundancy pay through the use of AWA individual contracts.

The Budget released this week also revealed that the Government expects jobs growth to decline over the next year and this is further evidence that there is no link between the new IR laws and jobs growth.

The Government is trying to cover up the fact that its new IR laws are bad for workers now and will get even worse when the mining boom ends," said Ms Burrow.

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

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/general/20070510_jobs.html
Last Modified: 10 May 2007