ACTING PRIME MINISTER
HOWARDS HOLLOW PROMISE
John H-oward's promise today that he would guarantee that workers receive the
same rate of pay under his Industrial relations system simply cannot be believed.
It runs counter to a raft of previous statements he has made on Industrial
relations, Including his wholehearted embracing of the Victorian and Western
Australian Industrial relations systems.
Australians should remember that Jeff Ken nett promised Victorian workers
before the 1990 State election: " You won't lose a dollar".
Since then workers have seen: all State awards abolished, leave loadings for all
Victorian workers abolished with workers losing an average of $ 430 before tax
each year; sick leave entitlements reduced and no entitlement to pro-rata sick
leave; no entitlement to redundancy pay; and the independent Victorian iRC
abolished. That is why 400,000 workers have fled Jeff Kennett's Industrial relatins system
and transferred to federal awards.
In Western Australia overtime, penalty rates, holiday loadings and hours of work
are not guaranteed. The minimum houriy rate for young peopie is $ 3.77 an
hour, This Is the system that John Howard said he would like to see throughout
Australia. If the Opposition Leader today genuinely wanted to ensure that workers should
keep their current award and conditions, why then has he campaigned so long
for industrial relations reform?
His belittling of the union movement today and his sidelining of the IRC are code
language for an outright attack on the job security of workers, and In the end,
wage cuts. It would also lead to massive Industrial confrontation, just like John
Howard's bad old days.
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The only guarantee of workers' wages Is the Government's, which Is enforceable
through the IRC.
The employment advocate which Mr Howard proposes to have replace the IRC
would do no more than in effect file workplace agreements. It would not have
the power to protect the rights and conditions of Australian workers.
Under Mr Howard, Australian workers would have to finally seek fair conditions
at employment through civii courts. This would be ridiculously expensive and
cause major delays.
Despite Mr Howard's professed concern for Austraian youth, he did littie today
to guarantee work and training opportunities for young people.
He owes young Australians the detail of his real plans, which undoubtediy will
inciude cutting their wages, removing their conditions and abolishing Working
Nation programs.
Melbourne 8 January 1996