LL:ART: ANTI-UNION LEGISLATION PUSHED BACK...BUT...

[Communist Party of Australia]

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.
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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.






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