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Senate supports Greens call for new OHS laws to set high standards
The Senate has backed an Australian Greens motion calling on the Government to ensure there is no reduction in occupational health and safety standards anywhere in the nation in implementing their new laws.
"Workers, unions and the community are concerned that the Government's OHS harmonisation agenda will mean lower safety standards rather than the highest possible we should be pursuing", said Senator Siewert.
"The Government must guarantee no reduction in standards in any workplace. With over 150 work-related fatalities last year, an increase of around 14%, this is no time to lower the bar."
Wage freeze – dangerous move set to widen social, economic divide
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has described the Fair Pay Commission ruling not to lift the minimum wage as a savage outcome that pushes the burden of the economic recession onto low income earners.
Drop in NSW workplace injuries - Tripodi should stare down Gillard over watering down standards
Greens MP and industrial relations spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has congratulated unions and WorkCover for achieving the significant drop in workplace injuries announced today and called on Finance Minister Joe Tripodi to take the position that NSW will only join a single national workers' health and safety system if standards are maintained.
Greens call for cap on working hours
The Australian Greens remain deeply concerned about the long and often unpaid hours worked by many Australians, highlighted in a report from the Australia Institute released today.
"The Something for Nothing report confirms that Australians work some of the longest hours in the Western world, with full time employees working an average 70 minutes unpaid overtime a day. Such hours have serious consequences for workers and their families," said Greens Workplace Relations Spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert.
"Longer hours at work mean less time with family, friends and community. We know that extended working hours for parents can have an adverse impact on children. There are also serious occupational health and safety risks with extended working hours.
"It is time Australia had an open and genuine debate about changing our culture of long hours, including consideration of a mandatory limit on working hours and strengthening the right to refuse unpaid overtime.
Fair Pay Commission’s minimum wage logic ‘flawed’ - Greens
The logic behind the decision to freeze wages for 1.3 million Australian workers on the minimum wage is 'flawed' and the commission failed to take into account the true cost of living, say the Australian Greens.
"Make no mistake, this decision will see a rise in the numbers of the 'working poor' in Australia - working families who are struggling to keep up with the rent and keep their heads above the poverty line," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.
"The argument made by the Fair Pay Commissioner that recent cash 'stimulus' payments offset the need for an increase in basic pay to keep up with rising living costs is both illogical and unfair."
"This effectively discriminates against the lowest paid - workers on agreements don't have the tax transfer system taken into account when their wages are set," said Senator Siewert.
"Working families were pushed by the Rudd government to spend their stimulus money quickly for the good of the economy - now they are being told that there was still enough in the budget for tax cuts for the well-off, but nothing for those struggling on the minimum wage."
Greens out in front of union movement
The Australian Greens moved amendments to the Fair Work Bill in the Senate designed to achieve many of the outcomes the ACTU now, after the legislation has passed, wants to see from the government.
"The best way to ensure a fair industrial relations system was to try and amend the government's legislation when it was before the parliament," said Senator Siewert, Australian Greens industrial relations spokesperson.
Greens call for audit of Employment Services contracts
The Australian Greens are today calling on the Commonwealth Government to direct the Australian National Audit Office to conduct an independent audit on the awarding of employment services contracts announced yesterday.
"There seems no rational basis for the decisions made on who got contracts. We have seen 4 and 5 star rated providers lose contracts," said Senator Rachel Siewert.
"Thousands of committed and dedicated workers are about to lose their jobs at a time when their skills are most needed."
Not-for-profit employment providers will be gutted
The decision by the Rudd Government to pursue privatisation of employment services in the middle of the emerging financial and employment crisis is ripping the guts out of our best not-for-profit service providers right at the time we need them most, said the Greens.
After asking questions in the Senate last week Senator Rachel Siewert has been inundated by phone calls, emails and anonymous tip-offs from major service providers and their staff.
"At the moment these services are fearful of speaking out because any adverse comment could put other services and government contracts at risk, but it is very clear that they are distressed by this turn of events," said Senator Siewert today.
The end of Work Choices
With the support of the Greens, Australia has seen an end to the Howard Government's punitive Work Choices Industrial Relations system.
Following a week of long nights in the Parliament, the Greens secured significant amendments to the Government's Fair Work Bill, and ensured its safe passage through the Senate.
The Greens have ensured;
- The cut-off for definition of a small business is set at 15, not 20 as demanded this morning by Senator Fielding nor 25 as demanded by the Coalition.
- Abandonment of the Opposition amendment that would make unlawful terms in enterprise agreements that restrict, control or dictate the use or non-use of independent contractors
- Continued discussion over how the unfair dismissal code will operate.
Through working responsibly and collaboratively, the Greens have achieved some real wins in restoring equality to the workplace. The Greens have always supported the rollback of Work Choices - taking that promise to the 2007 Federal election. While the Rudd Government's Fair Work Bill retains large parts of the Howard approach, the Fair Work Bill takes industrial relations in this country forward.
The fight for workers' rights
This is a prosperous country - our economy is strong and we have a way of life that is the envy of many in the world - yet our government fails to support workers, instead removing their rights, allowing them to be sacked with no come back, and lower working wages. Why? So that corporate Australia can make even more money and pay its executives even more ridiculous salaries? This should be a time to invest in social infrastructure, not make the lot of working families harder.
