A national campaign in support of the rights of working Australians

1. A national campaign in support of the rights of working Australians

2. The Australian Way of Life From 1st July, the Howard Federal Government takes control of the Senate and therefore has a free hand to change laws. Radical change is being proposed which threatens your rights at work.

3. What are the hopes of working Australians? How can we achieve these goals? Where is Australia heading? What can we do about it? Four-Part Discussion Program

4. Hopes Decent income, good job Health and safety – the ability to come home alive and without injury Sense of achievement or accomplishment Respect, recognition and self-esteem A life (outside work) Fears Losing a job, drop in income Getting injured, health problems Not having enough in retirement No chance to get ahead What do working Australians want and need?

5. Hopes Personal and family security- good standard of living Quality healthcare that is affordable Good schools and education for our children Job opportunities A good lifestyle with sport, recreation and decent environment A caring community Financial security - home ownership, investments, retirement What do families and communities want and need? • Fears • Lack of opportunities for our kids- cant get job, afford a house, get into uni/trade or good job • Economy goes backwards, unemployment rises • Rising interests rates, house prices • Crime, security for our children is a problem • Medicare, schools, childcare unaffordable- can’t get a place

6. Making our lives better Security and fairness in the workplace Fairness, equality and opportunity in the community A strong economy which benefits all of us Counters to excessive big business power What do unions want?

7. What does Big Business want? Abolish all awards and replace them with just six conditions NO penalty rates for weekend or shift work NO limit on hours worked NO allowances NO overtime NO rostered days off NO annual leave loading NO wage increments YES US style minimum wages YES 5 year individual contracts with no scrutiny for fairness

8. " A fundamental flaw is that people have tried to use industrial relations policy as a tool to achieve not only productivity and growth in the economy, but fairness.” Michael Chaney Business Council Chief The Australian, 1 April 2005 8 8 FAIRNESS IS A FUNDAMENTAL FLAW?

9. Last year 40 CEO’s in the big business lobby paid themselves $173 million. Over $4.3 million each OR $166,346 per fortnightly pay

10. 10 What does the Howard Government say? “An emphasis on fairness only leads to regulatory excess and inefficiency” The sentiments behind the Big Business blueprint are a “good summary of the government’s intentions” Kevin Andrews Federal Minister for Workplace Relations Speech, 25 Feb 2005 and Australian Financial Review, 16 Feb 2005

11. John Howard backing big business

12. The Workforce Organised workers (2 million union members) and 1 million free loaders Other workers Awards and minimum wage cases Workers with individual market power eg CEO’s

13. 1.6 million people rely on awards for wages and conditions. Millions more on agreements rely on awards to underpin their conditions The Howard Government wants to get rid of: All state awards Conditions in federal awards like: skill based wage rates long service leave union picnic day converting long term casuals to permanent 13 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO1. Remove employment conditions from awards

14. For 100 years, the Industrial Relations Commission has set and increased minimum wage rates in awards – currently $467 per week ($12.30 per hour) Howard Government has asked the Commission for minimum rates $44 a week lower than they are now - Commission didn’t allow it Govt wants new system to get lower minimum wages Similar to USA: minimum wage is $5.15 per hour and no increase in 8 years 14 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO2. Change the way minimum wages are set to make them lower

15. When asked for a guarantee that minimum wages wouldn’t be lower under the Howard Govt’s new system, the federal Minister said: “I am not in the business of giving guarantees for or against anything.” Kevin Andrews Federal Minister for Workplace Relations ABC Radio, 12 April 2005 15 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO2. Change the way minimum wages are set to make them lower

16. 16 GOVERNMENT WANTS3. Individual contracts to undercut existing rights and conditions • THE HOWARD GOVERNMENT SAYS • “We should be trying to move to an industrial relations system where the predominant instrument is the individual contract… where there’s ease of entry, ease of exit...” • Peter Costello, The Age, 19 February 2005

17. 17 GOVERNMENT WANTS3. Individual contracts to undercut existing rights and conditions • WORKERS SAY • “I was offered an individual contract – AWA – that would mean a pay cut of about $150 a week. Instead of being paid by the hour I would only get 55 cents a kilo for the mushrooms I picked. When I refused to sign the AWA, I was sacked.” • A comment from a mushroom farm worker whose • employer tried to force her on to an AWA

18. 18 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO4. Keep unions out of workplaces and reduce bargaining rights

19. UNION ACCESS TO WORKPLACES Written notice of reason for visit to employer at least 24 hours earlier Not allowed to agree on better access in collective agreement Managers can restrict where unions meet workers and monitor discussions Visits only allowed once every six months (if recruiting) BARGAINING Complex secret ballots before any industrial action (like strikes) Limits onindustrial action, like reason for taking action, how long it lasts Big penalties for unions and workers if complex laws are breached 19 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO4. Keep unions out of workplaces and reduce bargaining rights

20. 3 million Australians work in small businesses. These workers will have no rights if they are unfairly dismissed. They will have no right to get redundancy pay if they are retrenched. Will the Government stop at small business? 20 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO5. Abolish redundancy pay and protection from unfair dismissals for small business employees

21. For over 100 years, state and federal Industrial Relations Commissions have settled disputes and set minimum conditions in awards You need an independent umpire to go to when things can’t be settled at the workplace Government wants to: Abolish state Industrial Relations Commissions, and Take away many powers of federal Commission 21 GOVERNMENT WANTS TO6. Reduce the powers of the Industrial Relations Commission

22. “What we want in place is a system that provides certainty, one which is sustainable over time and will lead to increased prosperity for Australia” Kevin Andrews Minister for Workplace Relations Fair Dismissal Bill More Work, Better Pay The interest rate and Medicare safety net trick again! Can we trust them to protect the workplace safety net? The economy doesn’t need workers rights to be stripped, it needs action on skills, infrastructure, and innovation Beware of the Government’s spin

23. The government current plans will take away our basic rights at work It will mean lower living standards for working people who are just keeping their heads above water It will benefit business at the expense of Australian working families. It will impact on the Australian way of life We need to fight for our basic right to work Government :Don’t take the side of big business

24. A strong safety net of decent wages and conditions Your right to bargain collectively for fair pay and conditions and reject individual contracts Your right to join a union and access benefits of membership A strong, independent Industrial relations Commission to set fair minimum wages and conditions and settle disputes Unions will fight for our basic rights at work

25. Employers- the strength of our argument and the argument of our strength Government- the court of public opinion How can we get government and employers to listen?

26. Tell as many people as possible about the Howard Government’s plans Campaign info, petitions and updates at: www.rightsatwork.com.au Tell your local Liberal or National and ALP MP that you oppose their Government’s plans National week of action 27 June - 1 July Paid advertisements - fundraising 26 WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELPInformation campaign

27. Stay organised at your workplace. Make sure your employer keeps negotiating with you collectively. Take a workplace decision to stand up for each other and support the Rights at Work Charter.Also get your employer to sign the Rights at Work Charter. Lodge your workplace support of the Charter at www.rightsatwork.com.au REMEMBER: You are entitled to basic rights at work that are supported by international law. The Govt’s changes won’t just affect you – also the wages and conditions of your kids, family, friends. 27 WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP Your workplace and other workplaces

28. Individual Bargaining

29. Collective Bargaining

30. Survey: Australia is Better Off With Unions? We have community support YES 1996 75% 2004 89%

31. “They can’t take away people’s support for each other”