General

Australian Workplace Agreements

Libs hurt thousands of workers

Thousands more Australian workers will be hurt by Work Choices as a result of today's decision by the Liberals' to defend the use of AWA individual contracts and oppose the Labor Party's new industrial relations laws say unions.

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop today announced the Liberals will oppose the Labor Government's legislation to ban AWAs when it is tabled in Parliament next week.

The Liberals' stance could result in businesses continuing to push workers onto lower paid AWAs until late 2008 said the ACTU.

Recent government figures show around one thousand workers every day continue to be pushed into signing Work Choices AWAs, despite the Liberals' election loss.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:

"The Liberal Party's decision to support AWAs is an insult to the Australian people who voted overwhelmingly to reject Work Choices at last year's election.

"Ms Bishop is wrong to argue that Work Choices and AWAs are separate things.

"AWAs were the centrepiece and cruel heart of the Howard Government's unfair 'WorkChoices' laws.

"AWAs did a lot of damage to Australian workers by lowering wages and conditions and reducing workers' rights.

"With the Liberals planning to oppose the Labor Government's clear mandate to scrap Work Choices many more Australian families risk being hurt by AWA individual contracts.

"This shows the Liberals have not learnt anything from the last election and are ignoring the clear mandate the Labor Government was given to scrap Work Choices and AWAs.

"This decision shows that the Liberals plan to keep Work Choices alive despite the Australian people voting to kill off the policy at the last election," 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/20080214_industrial.html
Last Modified: 14 Feb 2008