WorkChoices - by any other name...
The Federal Labor party brought to attention yesterday a 'template' Australian Workplace Agreement made legal by the new WorkChoices legislation.
This 'template' agreement has been produced by Australia's major Hotel/Motel employers groups. You know, one of those employer groups that tell the Liberal party what to do. Kind of like all the finger point the Liberal party do with the unions and Labor?
Anyway, this agreement strips all of the award conditions Howard claimed would be protected under WorkChoices. For example, those hotel staff now lose:
Penalty rates for overtime
Penalty rates for working weekends
Penalty rates for working public holidays
and their wages are now stripped back to $13.47 per hour for 'introductory' staff through to a maximum of $17.54 per hour for skilled employees.
Now, to be fair, hotels/motels can pay their employees more than that. Just like your boss could give you tomorrow off.
But they won't, now will they?
John Howard, was asked by Julia Gillard if this award would be allowed under the new 'fairness' testing he is spending $4.1 million per week on advertising.
Howard dodged the questions, making some sort of play about interest rates. So the actual answer? No.
That's $4.1 million of your taxes spent well, isn't it?
This 'template' agreement has been produced by Australia's major Hotel/Motel employers groups. You know, one of those employer groups that tell the Liberal party what to do. Kind of like all the finger point the Liberal party do with the unions and Labor?
Anyway, this agreement strips all of the award conditions Howard claimed would be protected under WorkChoices. For example, those hotel staff now lose:
Penalty rates for overtime
Penalty rates for working weekends
Penalty rates for working public holidays
and their wages are now stripped back to $13.47 per hour for 'introductory' staff through to a maximum of $17.54 per hour for skilled employees.
Now, to be fair, hotels/motels can pay their employees more than that. Just like your boss could give you tomorrow off.
But they won't, now will they?
John Howard, was asked by Julia Gillard if this award would be allowed under the new 'fairness' testing he is spending $4.1 million per week on advertising.
Howard dodged the questions, making some sort of play about interest rates. So the actual answer? No.
That's $4.1 million of your taxes spent well, isn't it?