http://www.news.com.au/headlines/ Reith revs up for car union clash By SID MARRIS 6apr99 THE Howard Government has been secretly targeting the automotive industry for a campaign to reduce union power but has yet to win support for a serious confrontation. While Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith has openly listed construction, coal mining and meat processing as target industries for reducing union influence, for the past year he has been investigating forcing change at the plants of leading car manufacturers. The Australian has learned that prior to the 1998 election, plans were being drawn up for detailed studies of work practices in the automotive industry as a precursor to a campaign on workplace issues. This followed government anger that companies had not embraced the changes in the Workplace Relations Act after being granted a tariff freeze for five years from 2000 and an industry assistance package worth up to $2 billion. It also is understood carmaker Toyota was being pressed earlier this year to take on its unions, mainly the vehicle division of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, but has since declined to become involved in a showdown. A spokesman for Mr Reith insisted yesterday the automotive industry was not being targeted but said discussions had taken place to look at improvements in the light of the tariff and assistance decisions. "It is up to the companies to be innovative. We don't want confrontation," he said. But Opposition spokesman Arch Bevis said the Federal Government was attacking a peaceful industry for the sake of "blind ideology". A departmental briefing note written in September indicates that Mr Reith and then Industry Science and Tourism Minister John Moore had agreed to hold discussions with automotive manufacturers about a labour study. The note highlights disquiet expressed in government circles in 1997, when the key industry decisions were made, that the industry was too close to its unions. A Toyota spokesman said the company was unable to comment at this stage. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
