MORRISON’S WORKCHOICES 2.0 WILL ERODE WAGES

Scott Morrison’s WorkChoices 2.0 industrial relations changes will not just erode workers’ rights but also further stifle wages growth, new research confirms.

The Centre for Future Work says the Liberals’ “aggressive post-election workplace relations agenda” – which they did not put to the Australian people before the election – could leave private sector workers $2000 worse off over three years.

As the Liberals have already admitted, low wages are a deliberate design feature of their economic policies.

It’s clear now they intend to use their industrial relations “reforms” to further entrench low wages growth.

The Government has already overseen a dramatic decline in collective bargaining since coming to office in 2013.

Now they’re searching for ways to further undermine and diminish collective bargaining.

The Liberal backbench has also flagged watering down vital employee protection like unfair dismissal – and Scott Morrison and Christian Porter have conspicuously refused to rule out pursuing such changes.

Coupled with their ongoing attacks on the union movement – which plays a key role in collective bargaining and protecting workers from theft and exploitation – with their extreme and dangerous “Ensuring Integrity” legislation, it’s clear the Government is hellbent on resurrecting John Howard’s WorkChoices.

Australian workers need better wages and more secure jobs. They need protection from wage theft and unsafe workplaces.

What they don’t need is another Liberal attack on their pay and conditions. What they don’t need is WorkChoices 2.0.

WEDNESDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2019