Women Want Real Choices, not ‘Work Choices’

What Women Want (Australia) Industrial Relations Policy

Unlike the Australian Labor Party (ALP), WWW would support the abolition of Australian Workplace Agreement’s (AWA’S).  AWA’s have been proven to reduce pay and conditions and have had considerable adverse impacts on women in the highly feminised areas of retail and hospitality.

WWW will not support a system that sees a group of workers unfairly penalised with poor wages and conditions until 2012. WWW supports the re-introduction and enforceability of Federal Awards for all workers subject to the Federal industrial relations system.

WWW support a system of collective bargaining with union involvement wherever they have members.  We do

not support compulsory ‘flexibility clauses’ (to enable individual contracts) being inserted into all awards and enterprise agreements.

WWW does not support an ‘underclass’ of employees simply because they work within smaller workplaces.  WWW does not support unfair dismissal laws that see those in workplaces of 15 or less being placed on 12 month probation, while those in large organizations have a 6 month period. This uncertainty affects a worker’s stability and capacity to plan.

WWW does not support the draconian welfare reforms that prevent parents in receipt of Newstart payments from taking industrial action in their workplace.

WWW supports the right of unions to enter workplaces for legitimate purposes.  The Howard Government vigorously supports the ability of the business community to collectively promote and advocate its interests. For too long there has been and ‘us’ and ‘them’ culture within industrial relations.

Fair and just working conditions for Australian workers do not need to be traded against productivity. Rather WWW believes that a properly protected and remunerated workforce assists in productivity gains.

A culture of co-operation and productivity whereby employers and employees ‘win’ is easier said than done.  In order to foster such a culture there must be Government leadership strong enough to establish reasonable wages and conditions while promoting productivity.

Work/family balance is talked of but there is little policy around legislative change to enable those balancing paid work with unpaid caring duties.  WWW supports legislative reform to enable carers across sectors flexible working conditions (eg access to part-time work, flexible working hours).