
Issue No 84		16 February 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

The Soapbox

Bob Carr: Why Unions Work

In his address to the Labor Council's AGM, the Premier gave one of his most rousing endorsements of unionism ever.

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Madam Chair, Delegates, Visitors from Japan and Hong Kong to whom I extend a fraternal greeting - it is a great honour for me to be here again for this Annual General Meeting of the Labor Council of New South Wales.

I recall with great pride being here within days of the ending of our Olympic Games, to say, as the head of a Labor Government, formally and officially "Thank You" to the trade unions of NSW for delivering the world's best Olympics.

And delegates, at every opportunity, including recently at the Davos World Economic forum with Sharan Burrow, I have boasted that we delivered these Olympic Games with a unionised workforce, with negotiations underpinning those Games with the unionised workforce and the trade union movement that represented those workers, and in no way was dealing with a unionised workforce a disadvantage as we put those Games together - it was a gr eat advantage - a great advantage to deal with a unionised workforce and the organisations representing them.

I remember, the day after I addressed the Labor Council I sent copies of my speech to the heads of the AFLCIO, and the British Trade Union Congress, and some other international trade union organisations because I want this message to go around the world - to those countries where unions have got to battle to get a hearing, like in the United States, where there is a downward trend in union coverage that's very marked. I want the world to know that the world's most successful Olympic Games were delivered by a unionised workforce.

Friends, our goal is the same as yours. Today we look at a ferocious process of globalisation in the world economy. A reduction of global markets roaring ahead. We are looking at a stunning pace of technological change as a fact of life - technological change and economic globalisation. In this context our goal as a Labor Government is to protect working people and their families. To protect working people and their families in the face of this rapid change, and to see that they - working people and their families - are guaranteed a say in how this society is run. That is our goal as a Labor Government - and it is your goal as a trade union movement.

We believe that we have developed here the most stable and responsive system of industrial relations in Australia, based on our Industrial Relations Act of 1996. Remember that we repealed Greiner's 1991 legislation that had endless appeals; it was hopelessly legalistic; it removed basic award rights and minimum standards. We linked enterprise agreements with the award system. We applied the 'no net detriment test' which ensured that no enterprise agreement can, in the aggregate, deliver worse pay and conditions than the relevant award. We required that awards to be reviewed at least every three years to ensure that they remained relevant, fair and flexible. We integrated the courts with the Industrial Relations Commission; we allowed for an effective system of sanctions for breach of agreements or awards, with the imposition of penalties as a last resort.

That was our legislation that replaced the Greiner/Fahey legislation, but we haven't rested since then.

Since March 1999 we have made further changes. For example, we outlawed discrimination against workers, direct or indirect, on the basis of caring responsibilities, and that comes into force next month. We are extending 12 months unpaid maternity, paternity and adoption leave to casual employees who have worked on a regular and systematic basis for two years - and that commenced in October last year.

We recently conducted an inquiry into the use of labour hire companies with Jennie George, the independent chairperson of a taskforce of employer and union representatives. The report is due soon. We have committed to reforms, if justified by cost benefit analysis and if they will not impact on employment levels.

This parliamentary session we will remove the discriminatory requirement where a worker must have at least five years service as an adult before he or she can access pro rata long service leave.

Don't forget that we have a Bill before parliament that provides for the Industrial Relations Commission to review classes of contractors and where appropriate, deem them as employees for the purpose of the Industrial Relations Act.

The Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 and the Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001 will commence this year. The new Act reflects the recommendations arising from the historic inquiry into workplace safety by the Legislative Council Standing Committee on Law and Justice. NSW now has all its Occupational Health & Safety Requirements in a single, coherent package.

I come to the public sector. I report that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the 2nd of March 2000, by Government and key public sector unions, detailing the wage increases and the reform agenda for four and a half years to June 2004. The agreement provides for a 16% salary increase over the life of the MOU, and of course, behind that there have been pay negotiations across the public sector with the last - that is the NSW Police Service - almost finalised.

We have increased job opportunities for young people in the NSW Government through development of the 2000 by 2000 Strategy, in partnership with the Department of Education and Training. The target of 2000 new entry trainees was met by the end of the '99/2000 financial year.

Legislation was passed in December 2000 to enable same-sex partners to have access to superannuation benefits in the same way married spouses and de facto partners can access those benefits. That is effective from 19th January 2001.

And the Government has ensured that more than 1,880 long-term temporary employees have been permanent officers under Section 38A of the Public Sector Management Act.

Well friends, we are going to keep working at industrial relations, but with all our attention to detail and specifics, we have got this larger goal in view - and that is this: That as technological change continues at an accelerating pace; as globalisation continues, even in ways we can't as yet predict and conceive, we in this State will be working with you to protect the interests of working people and their families. They are not going to be railroaded and disenfranchised by the forces of change. They are not going to be abandoned to untamed market forces. We have undertaken to protect their interests in this highly uncertain world - in this unprecedented climate of change in which we operate. And to go further than that - to guarantee their voice.

I might say to you, that as we seek to protect the interests of NSW; to win investment; to get our share of the new economy and to link it with traditional industry; to make NSW a competitive location for investment and growth, there is no disadvantage represented by the fact that we are protecting working people. In fact, a good strong union movement, and laws to protect working people is an advantage - it makes us more modern than we otherwise would be. There is no investor who has moved away from NSW, because industry has looked at the climate and said: "Here's the place that protects workers. They have got this IR system that, among other things, protects workers." In fact, as we set our standards high and aim for a high wage, high salary economy, with a high level of protection for our workforce, the goal of winning new, cutting edge investment is easier, not harder. Easier Not Harder!

So the two goals - the goal of building competitiveness and winning new investment and building a new economy at the service and traditional industry, is helped, not hindered, by the fact that we have got a government that builds workers into the system. Builds workers into the system and doesn't abandon them. And doesn't see them railroaded.

Ladies and gentleman, the New South Wales Labor Council was set up in 1871, and it was set up - I can quote the documentation - "to form a centre of action for working men" - and we amend that these days to say working men and women - "to mutually protect and assist each other in case of oppression or dispute arising in any particular trade or calling". Mutual protection in the case of a dispute. That goal remains as relevant today as ever.

To use this ridiculous Tony Abbott idea that employees one-on-one can settle any dispute with an employer is as discredited now as it was in the 1890s. I heard hom say that on radio the other day. The fact is, an individual employee in a call centre, in a factory, working in the agricultural sector, working in an abattoir - an individual employee has got no effective bargaining strength or his own or on her own. They need the strength of an organisation - organised across industry - and coordinated by the Labor Council - and at the national level, by the ACTU.

These are old lessons. We learned them the hard way over 100 years ago. They are as valid today as they ever were.

It is a great honour to be with you at this time of your AGM. Thank you.

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Issue 84 contents

Interview: Life After Wartime
After ten years representing the interests of the labour movement in Parliament, Jeff Shaw is back at the bar. And loving it.

Legal: Why the Freeloaders Should Pay
Michael Costa explains why service fees are not only fair - they are economically rational.

Organising: Young Activists Bask in Union Summer
Sydney students have spent three weeks of their summer holidays experiencing on-the-ground work with unions.

Unions: Things Are Looking Up On The Dock
After six years as a call centre worker, Marios Ellas has joined the union movement. Here's his first impressions.

History: Trades Hall � The Royal Connection
Republic, who needs it when we have the Trades Hall decreed by Royal Imprimatur? So tug your forelock as work commences to restore the building.

International: Greetings from Hong Kong
Chan Wai-Keung from the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions outlined the challenges facing Hong Kong workers.

Politics: One Nation - The Old Labor Link
The resurgence in One Nation in the WA election has the pundits again reaching for the tea-leaves. But are they pouring from the wrong pot?

Review: Elect the Ambassador
Labor frontbencher Duncan Kerr unveils his vision for a new international democracy.

Satire: Man Buys Big Issue for the Articles
A Melbourne businessman claims his recent purchase of the "Big Issue" was due to his interest in the magazine's editorial content.

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