Media Statement - 26th May 2006
Leader of the Federal Opposition, Kim Beazley, today restated his pledge to rip up John Howards extreme industrial relations laws when meeting garbage collectors at the Central Coast.
The introduction of these laws has meant workers contracted to garbage collection services in the Wyong shire and Gosford City could lose up to $340 a week through lost overtime and penalty rates.
This is a direct hit to the ability of these workers to pay mortgages, and look after their families. My Pact with Middle Australia announced in the Budget will bring balance back into family life.
Garbage collection is a job where overtime and penalty rates count as compensation for early starts, split shifts and holiday shifts.
This attempt to redraw the garbage workers contracts is yet another real life demonstration of John Howards new dog-eat-dog industrial landscape.
Work Choices allows an employer to ignore previous agreed award pay rates and pay the minimum rate of pay ($12.75) across all industries, and thats what threatens these workers.
Labor will:
Rip up these unfair laws;
Introduce a strong safety net of minimum awards and conditions;
Reinstate an independent umpire to ensure fair wages and conditions, and to settle disputes, and,
Ensure the right for employees to bargain collectively for decent wages and conditions