Page 3965 - Week 12 - Thursday, 20 October 2005
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
their son or daughter is not being exploited because the protection is in the system. When these protections are stripped away, they are expected to carry the burden for the good of the almighty economy.
We already know young workers are pressured to work by unscrupulous business bosses. A recent survey from South Australia entitled “Dirt cheap and disposable” shows a quarter of 15 to 19-year-olds have been pressured to work overtime without pay; a quarter have been pressured to work while sick; and nearly a third have been pressured to work through meal breaks. In John Howard’s future, these workers will be forced to give in to pressure from their employers for no gain.
We need only to look at the government’s own WorkChoices booklet and the example of Billy, a young worker about whom we have heard much recently. Through the aid of a very talented bargaining agent, Billy gives up public holidays, rest breaks, bonuses, annual leave loading, allowances, penalty rates and shift overtime loadings, all for no increase in conditions.
Even with a bargaining agent Billy has given up, for no return, some 40 per cent in additional pay. Billy is clearly disempowered. The employer holds all the cards. Mr Howard has admitted publicly that this is the future he would like to see for young Australians, a future where they are exploited by unscrupulous employers for the sake of corporate profits. What a future! We should be very afraid.
The system we have now, where agreements for young people are collectively bargained to ensure equal bargaining power with bosses, where the minimum wage is set by an independent body whose aim is to ensure a fair living wage is paid and in which young workers, unfairly sacked, are protected is the only one that can protect the young workers of the ACT. The Stanhope government fears greatly for these workers. We will therefore do all we can to resist these changes and protect the young people of the territory.
I am also very concerned about the impact the IR changes will have on the 48 per cent of our work force that is made up of women. ABS data shows that the ACT has the highest percentage of female participation in the work force. The Prime Minister has said that the major driver of these changes is the desire of the federal government to have more Australians on individual secret Australian workplace agreements.
The use of AWAs clearly results in poorer outcomes for women. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that only some eight per cent of AWAs registered to date have provision for paid maternity leave. Further, women on AWAs earn, on average, $5.10 an hour less than men. When you consider that most women work in part time or precarious employment, the picture looks even worse.
Casual workers on AWAs are paid 15 per cent less than workers on registered collective agreements. Permanent part-time workers do not fare much better. Those on award only conditions earn, on average, eight per cent more than AWA workers. Further, women covered by collective agreements have an hourly rate 11 per cent above women on registered individual contracts. Research also suggests that secret contracts offer less flexibility for work-family balance and provide less job satisfaction. Given women’s dependence on casual work, I am also fearful these changes will lead to a change in the nature of that work. Currently casual workers must be paid a minimum of three hours for
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .