Anti-union legislation pushed back...but... The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, December 1st, 1999. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795. CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au> Subscription rates on request. ****************************** The release last Monday of the report of the Senate inquiry into the Howard Government's "second wave" industrial legislation shows that major aspects of Reith's amendments have been rejected by both the Labor Party and the Democrats. An ACTU press release says the report makes clear that most of the Bill has no hope of passing the Senate and that Reith's "second wave" has suffered a "crushing defeat". The Democrats have rejected all of Reith's "headline" changes including removing further conditions from awards, making it easier for employers to impose AWAs on employees, further restrictions on industrial action, including the requirement of secret pre-strike ballots, and measures which would make it harder for unions to recruit, organise and represent members. Senator Andrew Murray (Democrats) says that "the Democrats cannot support at least two-thirds of the Bill because it reduces essential protection for workers. "Much of the Government's proposals are too harsh and very significant amendments would be needed to deliver fair law. These proposals may yet prove unfixable", said Senator Murray. There are a number of other areas where the Democrats would consider further negotiations with the Minister. ACTU President, Jennie George said that "Mr Reith's agenda has been beaten this time but the ACTU will remain vigilant..." Coinciding with the release of the Senate report, the ACTU organised actions in main capital cities last Monday and launched a TV advertising campaign which aims to alert the community to the job insecurity, casualisation and the reduction of working conditions now being experienced by many workers. Jennie George said that the TV campaign "is only the start of our long term commitment to making the public aware that the problems they feel in their workplaces are being made worse by the Federal Government's attacks on the award system and job security. "Working people need real issues to be addressed by the political parties", she said. "While this setback for the Government's agenda is welcome", CPA General Secretary, Peter Symon told "The Guardian", "the first wave legislation remains with its savage restrictions on trade union action. The penalties for almost any sort of strike action and the limits on the right of unions to represent and service their members make it extremely difficult for trade unions to function freely. "It is to be hoped that the ALP, the Democrats and Green's Senator Bob Brown, will combine to make opportunities to force amendments to the existing legislation next year. The repeal of anti-trade union sections of the Act are essential", he said. -- 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
LL:ART: ANTI-UNION LEGISLATION PUSHED BACK...BUT...
Communist Party of Australia Tue, 30 Nov 1999 22:01:20 +1100