Australian Government’s New Anti-Union Laws

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To all ITF affiliates

8 November 2005

The Australian Government is introducing repressive new industrial relations legislation, which will dramatically reduce the rights of workers to union representation, collective bargaining, minimum employment standards and protection from unfair dismissal. The independent Industrial Relations Commission will have virtually all its powers removed, except for its powers to stop unions taking industrial action. Minimum wages will in future be determined by a government appointed Commission which will set them on the basis of “competitiveness” but without regard for fairness and decent living standards. The system of “Awards” (which set out core terms and conditions of employment for different occupations and sectors) is being replaced by a system where the employer will have virtually total power to decide terms and conditions.

Key parts of the new laws include:

Removing protection from unfair dismissal for all workers in workplaces employing less than 100 workers;
Pushing workers onto individual employment contracts;
Heavy restrictions on trade union activities, including on the right to talk with workers in their workplace;
Imposing extremely narrow limits on the matters which can be the subject of collective bargaining. Unions can be fined $30,000 if they seek to reach agreement with employers on unfair dismissal, union training leave, use of subcontractors and a range of other matters;
Removal of the right to public holidays for many workers, and weakened provisions for annual leave;
Employers will be able to decide unilaterally on annual leave bonuses, meal and rest breaks, overtime rates and other provisions for many workers, especially younger workers and those starting a new job;
Protection for employees who refuse unsafe or unhealthy work will be reduced;
The government will be able to stop industrial action if it decides the action is detrimental to the economy, and legal provisions concerning industrial action will be heavily biased in favour of employers.

View ITF letter to Australian affiliates

The Australian government is using its newly-acquired majority in the country’s Senate to rush through this legislation in the coming weeks.On 15 November, the Australian Council of Trade Unions is organising a national day of protest against the new laws, in which hundreds of thousands of Australian workers are expected to take part in events around the country.

ITF affiliates are requested to make representations to Australian diplomatic missions in their countries on 15 November and to send messages of solidarity to Australian ITF affiliates before 15 November:

Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers	aimpe@ozemail.com.au
Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers’ Association	fedsec@alaea.asn.au
Australian Maritime Officers’ Union	amou@amou.com.au
Australian Rail, Tram & Bus Industry Union	rtbu@rtbu-nat.asn.au
Australian Services Union	asunatm@asu.asn.au
Australian Workers’ Union	awu@alphalink.com.au
Civil Air Operations Officers’ Association of Australia	civilair@civilair.asn.au
Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia (Domestic)	dwatkins@faaadomestic.org.au
Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia (International)	info@faaa.net
Maritime Union of Australia	muano@mua.org.au
Transport Workers’ Union of Australia	twu@twu.com.au

For more information, please see the website of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (http://www.actu.asn.au/) and for details of the Australian diplomatic mission in your country please see http://www.dfat.gov.au/missions/missions.txt

To view ITF letter to Australian affiliates

Yours fraternally

David Cockroft
General Secretary

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ITF joins worldwide protest

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