,.> AUSTRLA
PRIME MINISTERFOR
MEDIA VWEDNESD -12 AUGUST.-1981
GOVERNMENT/ CAI TALKS
The Prime Minister and Ministerial colleagues met with
representatives of the Confederation of Australian Industryin
Canberra today.
Both parties agreed that there had been misunderstandings
about the impact of the abandonment of the wage indexation
system by the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission.
Nothing could be more wrong than to say that the abandonment
of that system had left a vacuum and that there were no
rules. governing the determination of claims.
Unions and employers continue to have the right to approach
the Commission for the resolution of wage and other
industrial claims.
The Industrial Relations processes established under the
Conciliation and Arbitration Act still apply:
the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission has
responsibility by law to pay regard to the general
community interest as well as economic issues in
making awards
the Commission has long-established principles to be
applied in dealing with claims for new awards,
variation of awards and certification of agreements.
What should be clear to all is that no " free for all"
situation exists. Any claims for wage increases will need
to be supported with proper and substantive argument.
Both the Government and Industry remain concerned at the
potentially inflationary consequences for all Australians
of excessive growth in incomes.
There was an acceptance of the need for all parties to cooperate
in making the Arbitration system work effectively
and a conviction that this could be done.' This was coupled
with a determination to ensure that the Arbitration system
would be recognised as the best process for settling
disputes.
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Both parties agreed that they would do everything in their
respective areas of responsibility to facilitate the
determination of just claims before the Conciliation and
Arbitration Commission.
This was coupled with a determination to ensure that the
Arbitration system would be recognised as the best process
for settling disputes.
The Government informed the national employers, and they
accepted it, that the Government's proper role in industrial
relations is
to provide the appropriate legislative framework
for settling industrial claims and disputes
to intervene as considered necessary in major
national industrial relations cases before the
appropriate Tribunal.
. d, 0,: 1 6 Present at Meeting
Prime Minister
Mr. Sinclair, Minister for Communications
Senator Carrick, Minister for National Development and
Energy
Mr. Howard, Treasurer
Mr. Viner, Minister for Industrial Relations
Mr. Fife, Minister for Education
Mr. Brown, Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs
Representatives of the Confedederation of Australian
Industry
Mr. H. G. Aston, CBE, President, C. A. I.
Sir Samuel Burston, OBE, Vic-President, C. A. I.
Mr. J. E. Dixon, OBE, Chairman, National Employers Industrial
Council, C. A. I.
Mr. G. A. Mackay
Mr. D. Dobbie
mr. G. Polities, CMG, MBE
Mr. R. G. Fry, MBE
Mr. N. J. Mason,
Mr. B. M. Noakes