Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3205 ..

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition) (12.00): I move:

(1) That this Assembly supports the introduction of a common rule award for all social and community service workers in the ACT;

(2) Further, this Assembly believes that organisations should not be penalised by the implementation of a common rule award for these workers and that the government should supplement organisations to enable them to meet their award obligations.

Mr Speaker, this motion is fairly self-explanatory. The motion indicates to the workers in the community services sector that the ACT Legislative Assembly supports their campaign to secure decent, industry-wide working conditions; and calls on the Government to financially assist community organisations to meet their award obligations. The union for workers in the community services sector, the Australian Services Union, secured a consent award with eight employers back in 1995. The union is now moving to have that award made a common rule award to cover all workers in the industry. I think that is a fair and proper way to go in the community services sector.

The previous Labor Government cooperated with the Australian Services Union's campaign to secure decent conditions for community service workers. The current common rule application is not being supported by the present Liberal Government. I think it is a disturbing feature of the arrangement, but it is consistent with the Liberals' approach to industrial relations in the community; that is, they are prepared to see workers exploited and not provided with standard wages and working conditions to which they should be entitled. The Government's silence supports the active opposition by Confact, the Confederation of ACT Industry, and some large employers in the industry who have a history of dubious and unfair industrial relations practices.

Mr Speaker, this motion is about remedying that situation. It has to be remembered that workers in the community services sector are often lowly paid, with working conditions varying from employer to employer. They are also often poor advocates of their own interests, and for very good reason - because of their dedication to the job and to their clients overshadowing their own personal wellbeing in many circumstances.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .