The Morrison Government’s omnibus IR Bill will allow employers to make agreements that cut the wages and conditions of workers.
The Bill will allow the Fair Work Commission to approve agreements that do not meet the BOOT test for a period of two years.
In addition, the Bill will significantly undermine and weaken the current protections and safeguards workers have to prevent employers imposing unfair agreements, the Bill weakens these tests.
Currently the Fair Work Commission must ensure workers have access to an agreement for seven days and it must be properly explained to workers before voting, these requirements will be removed.
Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:
“These changes are dangerous and extreme. Workchoices allowed employers to cut wages, and this proposal will do that as well. When Workchoices was introduced employers rushed out to cut wages, the same will happen if this law passes. Some workers are still stuck with WorkChoices pay cuts some 13 years later.
“These proposals were never raised during months of discussions with employers and the Government. The union movement will fight these proposals which will leave working people worse off. This was not the spirit of the talks with employers and the Government, this is not about us all being in this together.
“Working people, essential workers, have already sacrificed so much during this pandemic, these proposed laws will punish them.
“The economy, local businesses will not be able to recover if workers are facing pay cuts. Families need the confidence to spend. You can’t heal the economy by hurting working people.”
