British Rule Is To Blame
In March 2006, the Howard government introduced a new Industrial Relations Act, to be known as "WorkChoices". This legislation was introduced by the government in hope to increase Australian Business and decrease annual foreign debt. However, through this act, many Australian Laborers will be losing such rights as overtime, health benefits and penalty rates usually associated with a contract. It will also become harder for the youths of Australia to gain and hold any fair paying employment.
1.0 Explaining the Challenge
1.1 Background
The Workplace Relations Amendment Act became effective as of the 27th of March 2006. The government was able to pass the amendment by the federal government because it won a majority of seats in both the House of Representatives and the senate in the last federal election in October 2004. It involves a radical change to industrial relations structures in Australia. "WorkChoices is an attempt to create a unified national industrial relations system through the use of federal government's corporations' power in the Australian constitution" (WorkChoices: A Review of the New IR System, Tim Riley 2006), (Appendix 1).
1.2 Who is Involved
Besides the obvious government and association participation (See Appendix 1), employers and employees of Australia are effective by these new laws. Employees can expect a substantial impact on pay and rights. Also unions of workers have been affected. Under the new laws they have lost power and rights to investigate any mistreatment in work places. New protocol being set means that employers no longer have to comply with union demands (Appendix 2).
1.3 The Effects
Employers will be the ones to suffer the majority of negative effects. They may be forced to sign an individual contract, obstructing their rights regarding: penalty rates, work hours, health benefits, awards, dismissal and working rates, (Appendix 3). To...
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