Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.

17 January 2012

Employers hammer away for 'more restrictions'
on rights at work over New Year break

by Brian Boyd
VTHC Secretary

We started 2012 with where the employer associations and conservative politicians left us at the end of 2011. They are continuing to bang on about how some elements of the organised workforce have found various ways to protect hard won gains and even add some modest wage increases and a few job security undertakings,
via the Fair Work Act.

I emphasise some unions, because in fact the Fair Work Act continues to throw up many difficulties for unions overall. Last year’s Qantas dispute is unfinished business for some unions; the ANF-Victorian Branch is fighting on into this year for a just and fair EBA outcome, as is the CPSU/SPSF-Victoria, HACSU and others who have to negotiate with the Baillieu Government.

The MUA has had to play a cat and mouse game with maritime companies one at a time over many, many months, to win some EBA’s.

All the while the employers, using a national newspaper as a ‘bush telegraph’, continue to pressure the minority Gillard federal government for more restrictions to workers’ rights in general and union representative rights in particular.

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