This article appeared in today's Australian (22/3 page 4)
SUPPORT IN WINGS FOR REITH REFORMS
-Michael Bachelard Workplace relations writer
The Australian Democrats are preparing to deal with the Coalition on its
second wave industrial reforms in an attempt of cripple the militant
Victorian manufacturing union's push to reinstate industry wide deals.
The move would also block union attempts to have GST compensation clauses
inserted in enterprise agreements.
A Democrats source told The Australian yesterday they were prepared to deal
on pattern bargaining, despite last years ruling out any but technical
amendments to the Workplace Relations Act. Pattern bargaining involves a
union enforcing an identical industrial agreement across an entire industry
with many different employers.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's (AMWU) Campaign 2000-2001 is
an attempt, due to begin in Victoria in June, to coordinate industrial
action across the manufacturing industry to undermine enterprise bargaining
and achieve an industry wide wage outcome.
Pattern bargaining is also standard practice in the construction industry.
The Australian understands the Democrats amendments would be identical to
those proposed by the Australian Industry Group, the employer body fighting
Campaign 2000. They would allow common "site agreements" in the
construction industry to remain.
The amendment would remove the standard legal protection for striking
workers if they were pursuing certain types of pattern agreements,
rendering the strikers liable to be sued for loss and damage. An amendment
outlawing unions seeking standard GST clauses in agreements could also be
dealt with in pattern bargaining section of the act, the source said.
Unions have adopted a policy of seeking extra pay for the GST, but the
Democrats fear pre-emptive pay rises could cost 150,000 jobs.
The Democrats' move is likely to delight Workplace Relations Minister,
Peter Reith, who until now has been facing almost total rejection of his
second wave industrial reforms.
But the minor party will seek to balance its move with a new provision that
the union movement has lobbied for that employers be required to bargain
collectively if a majority of workers demand it. "We are seeking a balance
bill that seeks to deal with rogue unions and rogue employers", the
Democrats source said.
Mr Reith would strongly oppose such a provision.
The pattern bargaining proposal also faces trouble in the Democrats party
room, which overruled industrial relations spokesman, Andrew Murray last
year and rejected almost everything but technical amendments.
--
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