The Forum > Article Comments > Politics over policy in industrial relations > Comments
Politics over policy in industrial relations : Comments
By Alex Philipatos, published 29/5/2013
While it may be smart politics to avoid hot button issues there are other important areas for reform not central to the Work Choices backlash.
Work choices wouldn't have suffered as badly as it did, if the Ideologues, who promoted it, had thought to include a no disadvantage test.
It could be working in our favour that coal projects are slowed down.
We are in an already critical oversupply situation, in relation to our largest customer, China.
Unfair dismissal laws could go the way of the Dodo, if we lifted the job start rate, to 85% of former wages, for a period of up to six months, as a trade off for the complete removal of unfair dismissal laws.
Six months ought to be enough time for those seriously looking, to get another job, or up-skill, for such jobs as are locally available. Up-skilling, would also likely mean, larger pay-packets!
Let's be real, unfair dismissal laws are only ever supposed to be aimed at the very occasional rouge employer!
This proposed trade off, would likely mean, the odd rouge employer, simply wouldn't be able to demand more than he pays for!
Given his workers, would no longer fear dismissal, or the never ending threat of it!
Moreover, the said rouge employers reputation, would spread far and wide, and ultimately lead to an inability to hire anyone reliable.
While it might be useful to limit some union power, getting rid of them, would likely prove entirely counter productive.
It should be noted by all union members, that money lost through strike action, can never ever be recovered; and if your representation can't get you what you need through skilful, courteous, civil negotiation and or arbitration, then they are simply not good enough, and need to be replaced, with others who can!
Even so, ultimately it is in the employers best interest to maintain good industrial relations and a harmonious cooperative workplace!
After all, good reliable staff, happy in their work and conditions, are the very lifeblood of any genuinely successful enterprise!
You're a game man Alex, especially on this site.
I feel that this is the prime time for the LNP to put up a brave IR policy, for two reasons, one, I don't think people will fall for the anti work choices camp like that of the 2007 again and two, I doubt anything could loose them this election.
Posted by rehctub, Thursday, 30 May 2013 9:19:48 PM