
Issue No 25		06 August 1999

News

Reith Shamed Into Talk On Entitlement Fund

Reports that the Howard Government is considering establishing a fund to protect workers entitlements shows the union movement is shaming it towards action.

But Labor Council secretary Michael Costa has cautioned that the "devil would be in the detail" of any proposal and that it was too early for workers to celebrate victory yet.

And he's warned the government that a grassroots campaign in support of workers like the Oakdale miners would continue if it squibbed on genuine reform.

Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith issued a media release this week, stating he had discussed the issue of workers entitlements, and specifically an insurance fund, with the Australian Democrats.

He was quoted on ABC radio as saying: "The government does, as a general view, think that something needs to be done, that we do need to have a fair system."

"The reports that the government is considering an insurance or trust fund shows that it can no longer deny the basic question of justice at the heart of the issue.

Mr Costa said he hoped the Australian Democrats' constructive involvement in the issue of workers entitlements would set the standard for their approach to negotiations over Reith's second wave.

"Workers should remember that under his Second Wave, Mr Reith would take away a lot more than he is purporting to give them with respect to worker entitlements."

Federal Labor's industrial relations spokesman says the moves by Reith come too late for the Oakdale miners who were thrown out of work owed millions of dollars.

Bevis says the Labor Party has had legislation before the Parliament since March 1998 to address the issues that Minister Reith is only now talking about.

"For the last 18 months this Government has refused to allow these to be debated," Bevis says.

Labor Council is planning a major rally against Reith's second wave for August 24. See next week's issue for more details

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Issue 25 contents

Interview: Beneath the Arch
Arch Bevis has been given the job of charting Federal Labor�s agenda for the 21st century. He tells us where he�s heading.

Unions: What If the Bug Bites?
Health workers are planning contingencies for the Millennium Bug. Just in case...

Politics: It's a Wired, Wired World
Labor's federal IT spokeswoman Kate Lundy looks at some of the challenges for politics in the information economy.

International: Lufthansa faces Global Cyber-picket
270 workers sacked for a one�day strike - support the T&G campaign for human rights at Heathrow.

Satire: Outrage as Freed Killer Lives in House
Despite moving away from Waterloo Primary School, controversy continues to follow released killer John Lewthwaite after it was discovered that he is now living in a house.

Review: Reversing Union Decline
A leading labour thinkers asks: how do we turn back the membership tide?

» Unions Embrace Open Shop

» Council Sets Benchmarks for Vizard Deal

» Steggles Treats Workers Like Chooks

» Rail Workers on Collision Course with Carr

» Reith Shamed Into Talk On Entitlement Fund

» Unionists Asked to Defer NRMA Vote

» Fire Fighters Use Net

» Crew of Convenience Behind Sydney Oil Spill?

» Sixty Junkets Join Currawong Hit Squad

» Workers Table Petition for Gay Reform

» Indonesian Trade Union Leaders to Visit Australia

» International And Community Groups Oppose Reith�s Bill