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| Issue No 112 |  |
21 September 2001 |
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NewsEntitlements Version 7.0 Still Falls Short
The seventh modification of the Howard Government's workers entitlements safety net scheme will still leave thousands of workers out of pocket. The government moved this week to neutralize workers entitlements as an election issue by extending their safety net to cover all annual leave and long service eleave entitlements for workers earning under $72,500. But they have still l;eft tens of thousands of dollars in redundancy payments in jeaopardy by placing an eight week cap on redundancy pay-outs. This would mean workers who have been with a failed business for long erioids of their working life particularly exposed to company collapses. Ansett workers, for instance, are entitled to 10 weeks redundancy for the first five years and four extra weeks for each year of service after that. Unions are maintaining their call for 100 per cent protection for workers entitlements and will continue to run the issue in the lead-up to the federal election. Labor Council secretary John Robertson says the latest plan is just an attempt to deal with the issue politically, rather than addressing the legitimate concerns of workers. And ACTU President Sharan Burrow says nuniosna re still waiting to see the new proposal in writing - "we've yet to see the detail of the latyest plan," she says. Seven Responses in Two Years Version 1 - June 1999 - Howard opposes any support for Oakdale Mine workers and defends the ability of business to use employee entitlements for company cash flow purposes. Version 2 - August 1999 - Under pressure, John Howard and Peter Reith introduce legislation to enable Oakdale miners to be paid 100% of their entitlements from the coal industry long service leave fund. Version 3 - August 1999 - Peter Reith announces the government will legislate a national scheme by 31 December 1999. No legislation ever tabled in Parliament. Version 4 - February 2000 - Peter Reith announces administrative arrangements that require State and Territory Governments to partially fund an inadequate, capped, so called 'safety net' scheme - Employee Entitlements Support Scheme (EESS). Version 5 - February 2000 - National Textiles get special additional Federal funds to provide 100 per cent entitlements for National Textile workers. No other worker in any company in any city or town has ever received this extra support from John Howard. Version 6 - September 2001 - Ansett Airlines folds, 16,000 workers left without employee entitlements. John Howard announces a special scheme will apply for Ansett workers and that a new general scheme for everyone else will be put in place - details to be announced shortly. Finally the government acknowledges what Labor has said for nearly 2 years and what all workers knew - their EES scheme was a complete failure. Government announces new travel tax on all airline passengers. Version 7 - September 2001 - Details of a new general employee entitlements scheme become public. This scheme still fails to protect 100 per cent of employee entitlements and places the total burden on taxpayers to meet the costs of corporate mismanagement. The government leave open the option of imposing additional taxes to pay for future employee entitlement losses.
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   Interview: Exit InterviewMichael Costa looks back at his 14 years with the Labor Council to chart the highs, the lows and the bits in between. Parliament: Opening SalvoIn his Maiden Speech, delivered this week, Costa gave vent to his views on immigration, Marx, globalisation and mental health. Scandals: My Evil TwinCo-conspirator and 'intellectual soulmate' Mark Duffy recounts the legendary 'Leaked Paper' Affair and how its predictions soon came to pass. Politics: An Agent for ChangeFormer secretary Michael Easson argues that Costa was instrumental in redefining the factional balance in NSW in the wake of the Cold War. Review: The Thoughts of Chairman MCNeale Towart trawls the collected works of Michael Costa and looks at his love-hate affair with Marx. Factions: Kyoto SunsetNaomi Steer - the first left-winger to work at Labor Council in decades - recalls how she discovered the real Michael in a Karaoke lounge. History: A Proud TraditionFormer Premier Barrie Unsworth argues Costa enters Parliament as the best qualified Labor Council leader ever to make the transition. Psychology: The Man Behind the MaskCosta's predecessor Peter Sams argues that behind the bluff facade lay a loyal and caring friend. Seduction: Michael and MeChris Christodoulou recounts how Costa convinced him to cross the factional divide and take up residence in Sussex Street. Satire: Ode to LeonLong-time sparring partner, Peter Botsman submits this lyrical tribute to Costa's career.
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