Labor must come clean on its IR policy
With only weeks left until the federal election, Labor is still silent on the detail of its so-called Forward With Fairness policy as they desperately try to manufacture a political stunt.
Speculation on the detail continues as more evidence has emerged today that the Labor Party will revise its position on AWAs for people earning more than $100,000 per year.
One Labor MP has foreshadowed an announcement that Labor will retain AWAs for high income earners. The final detail being haggled over is simply whether the $100,000 threshold is the base salary or whether it will include overtime.
These claims support the conclusive proof that emerged last week that Kevin Rudd had sidelined Julia Gillard and was holding secret meetings with business leaders.
Kevin Rudd has provided undertakings to business that they will accommodate AWAs and review Labor’s policy on the construction watchdog.
Despite these reports, Julia Gillard as recently as yesterday again confirmed that Labor would not allow AWAs – that Labor saw no role for individual statutory agreements.
Even if Julia Gillard is going to be forced to eat her words by making a version of AWAs available to a very small fraction of working Australians, Labor’s announcement will be nothing more than a political stunt.
It will only prove that Kevin Rudd is too weak to stand up to the unions.
Only 1.6 per cent of all employees, on any sort of individual contract (AWAs or common law contracts), earn $98,800 or more. Why open the door to all of the benefits of AWAs to just the very few earning six figure salaries?
By allowing AWAs for some, the Labor Party will leave behind those they claim to represent.
Back in May, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard said they would announce details of their policy, namely the transition arrangements for AWAs and the ABCC, ;in several weeks time”. Over three months have passed and again yesterday Labor said they would announce the details “well before the election”.
It’s now weeks before the federal election. Time’s up.
For further information contact:
Emma Needham 0400 334 091
Add comment August 23rd, 2007