Unions vow to mobilise as Abbott plans to make industrial relations a major election issue

Date
    January 23, 2015
    Sydney Morning Herald

Unions have vowed to mobilise tens of thousands of members and to revive a militant WorkChoices-style campaign, as Prime Minister Tony Abbott signals industrial relations will be a key election battleground.   :-?

Political battles of the Howard era could reignite after confirmation a major inquiry will examine potential workplace relations reforms such as lowering the minimum wage and allowing employers to set their own penalty rates.

"The union movement will mobilise against these cuts," said Victorian Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari.


"This is WorkChoices 2.0 – it has nothing to do with improving the working lives of millions of Australians; it's about cutting people's wages and conditions."   

The newly released Productivity Commission papers also flag an examination of whether the minimum wage should be varied by state or by region and possible changes to enterprise bargaining, individual agreements and unfair dismissal laws.

Mr Abbott has moved to reassure voters, saying "we might seek a broader mandate at the next election but certainly we are going to act within our mandate in this term".

And in comments that will provoke the ire of organised labour, he said penalty rates may be holding employers back from hiring more staff and opening at certain times.

"If you don't want to work on  a weekend, fair enough, don't work on a weekend, but if you do want to work on a weekend and lots of people, particularly young people, particularly students, would love to work on the weekend, you want to see the employers open to provide jobs," he said.

Industrial law expert Andrew Stewart said the review was always going to be a short-term fix to address criticism from the business lobby, but would deliver long-term political pain for the Abbott government.

"There are only going to be winners and losers from this inquiry and the government is likely to be loser from this, no matter what," he said.

Nurses and hospitality workers, two groups who are required to work outside normal hours, have lashed out at the review.

Aasha Sinha, who has worked as a bartender for the past decade, said that without penalty rates she and her colleagues would have struggled to cover the cost of living.   :(

"Without the loading on a Saturday or a Sunday shift, many people would be up poo creek," said the 27-year-old from Woolloomooloo.

Ms Sinha said she has missed countless weddings, birthdays and a family Christmas, in order to work the unsociable hours that her job requires.

"It is a part of the job, but we should at least be compensated for it," she said. "It's pretty tough if you are only getting paid $17 an hour to deal with smashed customers on public holidays like Australia Day."

But Restaurant and Catering Association chief executive John Hart said one-third of restaurant and catering businesses did not trade on Sundays due to high wages.

Nurses in the state's hospitals are gearing up for union action should the commission recommend a review of their conditions.

Annie Butler, the acting federal secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation, said that any changes to penalty rates "would have a devastating effect on the nurses in our industry".   :(

"People don't stop being sick on weekends, people don't stop having babies on weekends," she said. "Nurses and midwifes will become extremely agitated if there are any threats to penalty rates, they make up to 40 per cent of their income from those hours."

Newtown nurse Ollie De Dear said that she got into the industry so she could help people.

"But without penalty rates a lot of people who might be thinking of going into nursing may just think it is too hard," the 24-year-old said.

Labor leader Bill Shorten said the review was part of the Abbott government's clear "agenda" to attack pay and conditions.

Unions Vow To Mobilise Tens Of Thousands of the rentacrowd to ensure that Australia's unemployment rate remains high and businesses uncompetitive in an ever increasing globalised marketplace.

There is nothing new to see here from the Union politburo.

Move along........

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 8:11am:

Unions Vow To Mobilise Tens Of Thousands of the rentacrowd to ensure that Australia's unemployment rate remains high. There is nothing new to see here from the Union politburo. Move along........

Like a broken record spewing out the same old unfounded rhetoric.

Worried about high unemployment but fully support the Liberals sacking everyone, somehow it just does not add up.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 8:15am:

Like a broken record spewing out the same old unfounded rhetoric

Funny you should mention "a broken record". :-?

I'm curious as to how many times Crook can 'spew out the same old unfounded rhetoric" thread?

Same thread, same counter.


Dnarever wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 8:15am:

Worried about high unemployment but fully support the Liberals sacking everyone, somehow it just does not add up.

When the tax-payer pays public servants to lean on shovels it is counter productive.

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 8:22am:

Dnarever wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 8:15am: Like a broken record spewing out the same old unfounded rhetoric Funny you should mention "a broken record". :-? I'm curious as to how many times Crook can 'spew out the same old unfounded rhetoric" thread? Same thread, same counter. Dnarever wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 8:15am: Worried about high unemployment but fully support the Liberals sacking everyone, somehow it just does not add up. When the tax-payer pays public servants to lean on shovels it is counter productive.

Would you think that as many as 1.5% of those who have lost employment in the public service work with shovels ?

Graduate positions in the APS across Australia fell by 12.9 per cent.

Which Uni degree teaches shovelling ?

175 government agencies removed - none of which was the department of shovelling.

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 8:22am:

When the tax-payer pays public servants to lean on shovels it is counter productive

as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D

Quote:

as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D

Pretty hard to have a clue what they do when they don't do anything.... ;D

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 12:49pm:

Quote: as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D Pretty hard to have a clue what they do when they don't do anything.... ;D

then you should comment on what they do should you.  :D :D

John Smith wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 12:52pm:

Swagman wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 12:49pm: Quote: as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D Pretty hard to have a clue what they do when they don't do anything.... ;D then you should comment on what they do should you.  :D :D

Work... :D

Quote:

But Restaurant and Catering Association chief executive John Hart said one-third of restaurant and catering businesses did not trade on Sundays due to high wages.

Bet that he can not support that statement ?

You would be almost certain that what ever number of businesses do not trade because of wage levels more than double that number would be not trading for other reasons.

So when he sais that 33.3% do not trade because of wages there must be at least 66.6% not trading for other reasons ?

So now we have 100% of restaurants closed on Sundays, this does not seem to be the case.  I would think an obviously severely exaggerated claim.

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 12:53pm:

John Smith wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 12:52pm: Swagman wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 12:49pm: Quote: as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D Pretty hard to have a clue what they do when they don't do anything.... ;D then you should comment on what they do should you.  :D :D Work... :D

we've already established that you haven't a clue what they do ...you can stop pretending now.

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 8:22am:

When the tax-payer pays public servants to lean on shovels it is counter productive.

So nurses and police lean on shovels now?

I dare you to tell the next police officer who pulls you over that you believe they are lazy public servants. If you do, make sure you have nothing in your body cavities.

Why aren't unions apolitical?

innocentbystander. wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 2:44pm:

Why aren't unions apolitical?

Because politicians are those primarily responsible for the lowering of their incomes, rights and conditions, particularly when the government or a party of the day is intent on an ideological war that does exactly those things...... it's called self-defence.

Attacking Pearl Harbour is no way to achieve peace in the Pacific..... you get the idea?

innocentbystander. wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 2:44pm:

Why aren't unions apolitical?

The ALP was formed by Unions, for Unions.

Why is it that hardly anybody in this forum knows the history of our two major parties?

::)

Swagman wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 12:49pm:

Quote: as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D Pretty hard to have a clue what they do when they don't do anything.... ;D

Nurses, police, teachers, firemen, sure. No one knows what such government employees do.

But the question on everyone’s lips is this: what, exactly, does a credit manager do?

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 2:48pm:

innocentbystander. wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 2:44pm: Why aren't unions apolitical? The ALP was formed by Unions, for Unions. Why is it that hardly anybody in this forum knows the history of our two major parties? ::)

Because of the union dominated public education system I guess.  :D

Karnal wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 2:49pm:

Swagman wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 12:49pm: Quote: as if you'd have a clue what they do.  :D :D Pretty hard to have a clue what they do when they don't do anything.... ;D Nurses, police, teachers, firemen, sure. No one knows what such government employees do. But the question on everyone’s lips is this: what, exactly, does a credit manager do?

As little as possible?    :-/

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 24^th, 2015 at 2:48pm:

innocentbystander. wrote on Jan 24th, 2015 at 2:44pm: Why aren't unions apolitical? The ALP was formed by Unions, for Unions. Why is it that hardly anybody in this forum knows the history of our two major parties? ::)

I know that, Greg - I'm just saying the reason they are so politically active.  I personally feel that the Union movement has outgrown its need to attach itself to Yuppie Labor with its ideologies and return to its roots.  That's LABOR - NOT Labour any more.... got it?