We need to present a vision to the Australian people that can take us from the current social values system where paid work defines attitude and identity, to a value system where the nature of work is redefined and where value is also placed on community involvement and on unpaid work. Current trends such as jobless growth, the trend towards casual and part time work, and recognition of domestic work by women and men, make this development important. Even though unions now represent less than 40% of workers they are still crucial.
We need to press for democratization in the workplace and active involvement of workers in decision making. The Award system has sometimes meant that negotiations occur at higher levels which leaves out workers at the grass roots level.
The Progressive Labour Party would favour democratic involvement of workers at an industry level and greater participation by workers in decisions affecting their work environments, production methods and company direction.
We recognize the interdependence of management and labour and also recognize the need for effective disputes procedures to resolve workplace conflict.
The Progressive Labour Party will repeal the Workplace Relations Act and the penal powers used against employees and their unions. The Workplace Relations Act undermines the important role of unions and makes cooperative industrial relationships less likely.
We will introduce legislation which re-establishes the primacy of the Award system, confirms the central role of the Industrial Relations Commission, and which recognizes the necessity to protect those workers most vulnerable to exploitation at work, in particular young people, casual workers and workers in industries made up of small workplaces and women.
The Progressive Labour Party will bring in industrial relations reform in two stages. The first stage will be treated as a legislative priority and will restore fairness to the industrial relations system. The second stage will be a review and evaluation and will involve consultation with affected parties. It will review the early legislation as well as look at longer term planning issues. Both stages will occur within the first term of an Progressive Labour Party government. It is important to view industrial relations within the overall economic and social policy of the New Labour Party.
The Progressive Labour Party is seeking a domestic led recovery of the Australia economy. Dealing with unemployment and improving the wages and conditions of those in work is a crucial part of this recovery strategy.
We are also seeking a more democratic economy, where decisions are made by the people that will be affected by them, our regional development policy and our investment in getting Australians back to economic and industrial stability will involve workers, unions, employers and local communities in economic decision making, restoring some control over our own destiny.
The first stage of the Progressive Labour Party's industrial relations legislation will:
It should be every employer's obligation, whether state or private, small or large, to pay no less than award wages and provide no less than award working conditions which should comply with a nationally determined standard. The quality of life for all Australians depends in large part on fair wages and working conditions. Employers along with workers will benefit from maintenance of wages and conditions. Decent wages and working conditions are like environmental protection something that government and every business should be required to comply with and not just "those who can afford to.
A thirty five hour week is perceived as a reasonable limit to ordinary working hours. However the Workplace Relations Act has resulted in the loss of conditions in many sectors. Many workers are having to work long and anti social hours to support themselves and their families. The right to be able to earn a comfortable living within a thirty five hour week should be a basic right.
The Progressive Labour Party believes that overtime should be discouraged in favour of increased employment opportunities while recognising the requirement for income maintenance for some sectors of the community. While opposing casualisation of work we support the concept of permanent part time work (with pro rata pay) as a choice for those requiring it. This would be in consultation with the relevant union/s where they exist.
Where they do not already exist we favour the introduction of May Day and International Women's Day as public holidays.
These entitlements will be maintained at current award levels with a longer term goal of: unlimited sick leave, twelve weeks paid maternity leave, five days paid parental leave, and increased annual leave to encourage the elimination of unemployment.
We favour national portability of long service leave.
The Progressive Labour Party will review the current legislation in respect of health and safety. The role of the inspectorate will be enhanced and the adverse effects of deregulation will be rectified. The possibility of inspectors being elected from within various industries will be investigated.
The Progressive Labour Party will maintain health and safety legislation that requires the establishment of workplace health and safety committees in establishments of over 20 employees. The powers of these committees will be reviewed with a view to enhancement. For smaller workplaces there will be requirements for worker representation regarding health and safety issues. Workplace health and safety will be a concern of the Progressive Labour Party's integrated public health plan.
The system of wage determination has changed frequently in our recent history. Firstly, the Labor government introduced enterprise bargaining which began to undermine the role of the Industrial Relations Commission, and unions. The Liberal, National coalition government moved to speed up the process. The result has been a greater fragmentation of wages and conditions, and the beginning differences within industries and occupations in the wages and conditions experienced by workers. Because employers within an industry are competing with each other, if one employer succeeds in substantially reducing wage costs then other employers feel obliged to follow suit in order to compete.
The Progressive Labour Party believes that competition should be between products and services, not wages and working conditions. The present gap between men's and women's average earnings will be addressed through pay equity and equal employment opportunities legislation.
The Progressive Labour Party will implement a process for the determination of pay equity issues within Awards and any existing enterprise bargaining processes and such agreements shall be required to be non discriminatory in their nature and application. The policies on wages and conditions that the Progressive Labour Party will introduce will reflect a basic standard. This will ensure that the most vulnerable workers have better protection than they do now and are not a pressure group on other wages and conditions.
Union registration will ensure that where collective bargaining occurs it is done through democratic and collective workers organizations. Registration of unions will permit unions to participate in collective bargaining and in the development of industry minimum standards. Unions will be required to be democratic organizations which are both financially accountable to their membership as well as ensuring involvement of workers at all levels. Amendments to union membership rules will require the support of the membership. Registered unions will be able to amalgamate with each other and procedures will be included to simplify this process.
The Progressive Labour Party would favour some restructuring of the Australian Council of Trade Unions to maximise democratic involvement by workers at workplace level and enhance access to representative positions.
In areas where enterprise bargaining has been in place and is still operating this bargaining is to function fairly and freely. Workers must be able to participate fully in their own organizations, and unions must be able to organize freely. Union membership will be voluntary and the right of membership will not be impeded.
Registered unions will have access to any worker who is bound by an agreement whether or not it has been negotiated by the union or where the worker is subject to a national industry standard for which the union applied.
Within the framework of the conveniently belong rules and relevant constitutional requirements unions will also have access to non-unionised sites where they have reason to believe that their membership may cover the relevant workers. All such access will be for the purpose of conducting union business and subject to reasonableness.
The Progressive Labour Party will restore funding for trade union education and paid education leave. Legislation will recognize the rights of union delegates and the right of members to pay their union fees by wage deduction. Two annual paid stop work meetings for union members will be provided for. The right to strike is recognized as a fundamental right of workers and should be protected by industrial law except where other procedures for the resolution of disputes are developed. Strikes and other forms of industrial action will be lawful in pursuit of legitimate industrial relations matters and after the giving of due notice.
We will ensure that no worker can take anothers employment in the course of a legitimate industrial dispute. Lockouts which impose terms and conditions of employment which are inconsistent with a collective agreement or national industry standard will be unlawful.
Involvement by producers whether employers or workers in important decisions affecting an enterprise or industry is a requirement of a more democratic economy.
The Progressive Labour Party will involve employers and workers in development and planning decisions as well as other affected groups within the community. For instance our regional development programme which is a major expenditure item will be established in a way which enhances community participation rather than centralised control. Industry and enterprise planning should also reflect these aims. Increased productivity product and service quality and business profitability will all be enhanced through greater levels of worker participation in planning and decision making in the enterprises in which they work. We will promote the formation of industrial trusts designed to manage the change to and ongoing administration of greater levels of worker participation and decision making in business. One way this may work is through the establishment of Workers Councils. Where unions exist these Councils will have union representation. Where there are no unions these Councils will give workers a collective voice. Industry planning must also reflect the interest of workers in the management of change and provide for the benefits of technology to be shared by all workers rather than result simply in redundancy for some and improvements for others.
The Industrial Relations Commission shall continue as the principal enforcement institution. The resources of the Industrial Relations Commission shall be significantly boosted as present delays are a major impediment to speedy and just conflict resolution. The requisite qualifications for commissioners will be reviewed. The Commission will make determinations of awards national industry standards pay equity standards as well as oversee and enforce any bargaining processes. The powers of the Industrial Inspectorate will be enhanced.
The Progressive Labour Party will legislate to preserve and protect employees due entitlement in cases of enterprise or company liquidation.
At a national level the Progressive Labour Party will support the introduction of a universal no fault workers compensation scheme.
The Progressive Labour Party will legislate so that unfair dismissal procedures will be available for all workers irrespective of the size of the firm/organisation in which they work. This legislation will allow award compensation and/or reinstatement according to the wishes of the sacked employee.
The Progressive Labour Party recognizes that education and training are important both to the individual and to the social and economic success of Australia.
The Progressive Labour Party education policy promotes lifelong education for all. Part of that programme is for improved vocational training and re training. At the moment many employers are making no contribution to the ongoing development of skills through industry based training.
The Progressive Labour Party will ensure that all businesses within industries and sectors contribute through levies to apprenticeship and other industry based training.
The Progressive Labour Party will also alter the structure of industry training to ensure that industry training bodies include representation from the recipients of education the trainees and workers within the industry and unions which are significantly represented in the industry. The management of Group Apprenticeship Schemes will be changed to include equal control by employers and unions from the relevant trade. Such training will be paid at ordinary paid rates.
The Progressive Labour Party regional development programme will take seriously the importance of education and training as a component of development The provision of education and training will be a requirement of regional development programmes.
The second stage of the Progressive Labour Party industrial relations legislation will be developed and implemented in consultation with affected organizations and in the light of the implementation of the first stage. The second stage will emphasise long term issues for industry organisation. The role of industry based awards and bargaining as opposed to enterprise agreements will be monitored and reviewed. This review will be underpinned by our desire to see competition between products and services not wages and working conditions.
It is Progressive Labour Party view that in the long term industry based negotiations are a more desirable and stable form of industrial relations organisation. As part of that framework the size and role of unions must also be addressed in consultation with unions and workers.
The Progressive Labour Party recognizes that Australian unions have endeavoured through amalgamation to become larger and better resourced so as to more effectively represent their members and play a constructive role in industry issues