News

Call For IR Crisis Talks as Country Conference Looms

NSW unions are seeking crisis talks with the Premier over industrial relations reform as they prepare to take their proposals to the ALP Country Conference for endorsement.

The Country Conference move would set the scene for a showdown at ALP State Conference in October if the Carr Government refuses to regulate labour hire firms, contractors and sub-contractors.

The action follows media comments by the Premier before last week's Industrial Relations Consultative Committee dampening the prospect of second wave industrial reform and setting a benchmark of no impact of state investment.

Labor Council secretary Michael Costa told the weekly Council meeting that while he believed the reform proposals would pass the Premier's investment test, his intervention had been "quite inappropriate".

"These are sensible and balanced proposals focussed on the changing nature of work," Costa said. "They are not an attempt to turn back the clock, they are directed at ensuring the system retains its relevance to a changing workforce."

Labor Council will seek urgent talks with the Premier and Minister for Industrial Relations and has urged unions affiliated with the ALP to seek endorsement at Country conference, to be held in Goulburn in the last weekend in June.

CFMEU organiser Doug Heath said he had faced difficulties explaining to his members why they should support the ALP before the last state election and issues like the spread of body hire firms had been a key area of dissatisfaction.

"Workers are already cynical and sceptical about the Labor Government and things like this only undermine that confidence further."

The NSW Teachers Federation said that the Premier's intervention had "emboldened" Garry Brack from the Employers Federation to veto all suggestions for change when the IRCC met last week.

"The election of a Labor Government with a large majority and a progressive Minister for Industrial Relations offers an opportunity for some constructive and worthwhile implementation of change," Teachers general secretary John Hennessy said in correspondence to the Council.

"This change, which is fundamental and in the interests of the workers of NSW and which may do something to reduce the imbalance which currently exists in our society."

A meeting of all affiliates to discuss the issue has been called for this week.

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  Issue 14 contents

»	Call For IR Crisis Talks as Country Conference Looms
»	Workers Sacked for Body Hire
»	British Union Secures Free Net Access
»	Cab Charge Wars: SBS Workers Fight for Their Lives
»	State Wage Case Smooth - Except for Brack
»	FOI Loopholes Could Leave Public Servants Exposed
»	Drug Summit Misses Tokin� Gesture
»	Public Will Lose Again From Rail Sackings
»	Robin Hood Strikes Again
»	CPSU shows it cares�
»	Unions Take Action on Timor, Stolen Generation

»	Guest Report
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Piers Watch

»	Faction Calls Miss Point
»	Don't Ignore the Class Divide
»	Timor: Look at the Map!
»	Songs of the Revolution Feedback

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