General

ALP industrial relations policy a step in the right direction

The ALP's industrial relations policy was launched in Sydney on Friday 6 August with ALP Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Craig Emerson, outlining Labor's push for a national industrial relations (IR) system that would be built along the lines of the state systems in New South Wales and Queensland. The IR systems in those states were argued to provide a better return for both employees and employers.

Dr Emerson explained to those present at the Industrial Relations Society meeting at the NSW Parliament (this included employers, Commissioners and Deputy Presidents of the industrial tribunals/courts and union representatives) the benefits he saw in the NSW and Queensland IR systems. He outlined how those systems provided better security for workers, better health and safety and better settlement procedures. He also indicated specifically to the business community present that he saw less days of industrial disputes under those systems.

Dr Emerson also referred to the business growth in Sydney/NSW and Brisbane/Queensland and added that we don't see the business community abandoning the NSW and Queensland systems for the federal IR system. These were critical points that the ASU had raised directly with Craig Emerson when he met with ASU National Executive members Brian Harris, Michael Want and Greg McLean not long after he became Shadow Workplace Relations Minister.

ASU Assistant National Secretary, Greg McLean, who represented the ASU at the launch, pointed out, "We don't see employers leaving NSW or Queensland and going to states that only have the IR legislation introduced by Howard and Anderson. Business has made decisions to either expand their operations in these states or move to NSW and Queensland." Greg said this was an endorsement of the IR systems in those states and support for the ALP's policy to reflect those systems in their IR framework.

Labor’s IR Policy: "Flexibility With Fairness for Australia’s Workplaces"

According to Dr Emerson, the ALP's IR policy is built on four pillars:

1. Improving job security.
2. Encouraging family-friendly workplaces that allow working Australians to balance work and family life.
3. Restoring the right of working Australians to bargain collectively.
4. Assisting parties to avoid and resolve disputes.

A full copy of the ALP IR policy is available on their website.