The Howard Governments latest taxpayer funded advertisements in the press proclaim the governments commitment and support for ‘Collective Bargaining’. [advertisements National Press 8 June 2007]
The advertisement uses the slogan ‘Collective Bargaining – making it easier to do business’.
“The only problem is that it is support for small business when negotiating with big business – it is not about workers! This Government is shameless” said IEUA Federal Secretary Lynne Rolley
“Apparently business finds it more efficient to negotiate collectively with other business and the Government has changed the law to assist” she said.
Small business can apply for the ‘right’ to collectively bargain.
“Workers do not have the ‘right’ to collectively bargain when they wish to do so under Howard’s WorkChoices laws.”
“Business, according to the Federal government’s preferred IR model, needs to negotiate with dozens and hundreds, even thousands, of workers individually to be efficient” said Ms Rolley.
“But in reality AWAs are not truly individual at all. They are more often than not presented as identical agreements on a take it or leave it basis” she said.
“What we know is that many workers including young workers face exactly the same power imbalance when dealing with their employer as small business does when dealing with big business.”
“Yet the Howard Government’s WorkChoices laws deny workers the right to negotiate a collective agreement if their employer simply chooses not to negotiate.”
“This is a classic illustration that Howard’s laws give all the power to the employers.”
“The gall and hypocrisy of this Government is quite staggering” said Ms Rolley
Downloadable files
Contact details
Lynne Rolley
Federal Secretary
Ph: 03 9254 1830
Fax: 03 9254 1835
ieu@ieu.org.au