LABOR WILL SEEK TO OVERTURN WORKPLACE CHANGE

Labor will seek to partner with the Senate crossbench to overturn a dangerous Morrison Government decision to slash the consultation period for changes to enterprise agreements.

The Government’s new regulation – announced last week – will allow employers to rush through changes to enterprise agreements without proper scrutiny, robbing workers of an important safeguard that protects their pay and conditions.
 
Under this change employers will be able to tell their workers about changes one day and then force a vote the next – reducing the notice period from one week to one day.

That means workers will be required to vote on often complex changes without time to properly consider what effect they might have, or time to consult with their colleagues or their union.

Labor recognises the need to move quickly to vary awards during the coronavirus crisis in order to keep people in jobs when businesses are doing it tough.

But this regulation tips the balance too far employers’ favour.

All businesses will be able to take advantage of this change, not just those experiencing a significant downturn.

And while the new regulation itself is set to expire after six months, the changes made to EBAs under this new regulation will remain in place after the current crisis ends.

That means workers could consent to a cut to pay and conditions during the crisis – but then find those cuts persist on the other side, unless there’s another vote to vary the agreement.
 
At the start of this crisis the Government insisted it would not allow employer bodies or unions to use it to push their agendas for permanent changes to our IR system.

But just a month later they have caved to an employer body demand that could embed permanent changes that will leave workers worse off, both during and after the crisis.

This is a terrible decision that is undermining the tremendous goodwill and cooperation we have seen between employers and workers since this crisis began.

For all these reasons, Labor will seek to disallow this regulation in the Senate when Parliament next sits. We will work constructively with the crossbench to achieve this outcome.

We cannot stand by and watch the Government use this crisis as an excuse to diminish workers’ rights.

TUESDAY, 21 APRIL 2020