OFFICE OF WORKPLACE SERVICES A PAPER TIGER SAYS MICKEL
Published Friday, 29 September, 2006 at 01:09 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The Federal Government’s Office of Workplace Services (OWS) is a paper tiger, doing little to assist workers, Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel said today.
Speaking at the Ministerial Council of Federal and State Industrial Relations Ministers in Melbourne today, Mr Mickel said the OWS is vastly understaffed and lacking in resources.
"Far from protecting workers, the OWS adds little value to workers affected by the unfair Federal Government IR laws," Mr Mickel said.
“The Howard Government has spent millions advertising and promoting WorkChoices and setting up support services to prop up its campaign and, despite this, vulnerable workers continue to be left out in the cold.
“An understaffed OWS can’t provide the same levels of service that workers in Queensland were able to rely on under State jurisdiction.
"The OWS will have around 60 officers when its six Queensland offices are fully staffed to provide services to 60 per cent of Queensland’s workforce compared with the State Government's 92 industrial staff spread across 17 regional offices who provide services to 40 per cent of the Queensland workforce.”
Mr Mickel said comparing the Australia wide figures to those of Queensland's in the period from 27 March to 21 July 2006, the OWS reportedly recovered $1.5 million in wage arrears and prosecuted four employers for all of Australia, while Queensland Government industrial staff recovered $2.96 million in wages and prosecuted 77 employers.
“The understaffing has resulted in fewer prosecutions and less underpaid wages being recovered,” he said
“The OWS has not reported on inspections carried out and wages recovered in its previous annual reports. This causes further concern. The OWS should publicly report on the number of audits it conducts.”
Mr Mickel said not only is WorkChoices unfair to workers but the federal Government won’t commit sufficient staff to provide a decent level of service to the Queensland community.
Queensland's Department of Industrial Relations 17 offices are supported by the Wageline information service, the Fair Go Queensland Advisory Service and the Wageline website which assists 1.2 million clients each year.
Queensland’s Fair Go service has received over 2000 calls since it was set up in December 2005.
_______________________________________________
Media contacts: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
Speaking at the Ministerial Council of Federal and State Industrial Relations Ministers in Melbourne today, Mr Mickel said the OWS is vastly understaffed and lacking in resources.
"Far from protecting workers, the OWS adds little value to workers affected by the unfair Federal Government IR laws," Mr Mickel said.
“The Howard Government has spent millions advertising and promoting WorkChoices and setting up support services to prop up its campaign and, despite this, vulnerable workers continue to be left out in the cold.
“An understaffed OWS can’t provide the same levels of service that workers in Queensland were able to rely on under State jurisdiction.
"The OWS will have around 60 officers when its six Queensland offices are fully staffed to provide services to 60 per cent of Queensland’s workforce compared with the State Government's 92 industrial staff spread across 17 regional offices who provide services to 40 per cent of the Queensland workforce.”
Mr Mickel said comparing the Australia wide figures to those of Queensland's in the period from 27 March to 21 July 2006, the OWS reportedly recovered $1.5 million in wage arrears and prosecuted four employers for all of Australia, while Queensland Government industrial staff recovered $2.96 million in wages and prosecuted 77 employers.
“The understaffing has resulted in fewer prosecutions and less underpaid wages being recovered,” he said
“The OWS has not reported on inspections carried out and wages recovered in its previous annual reports. This causes further concern. The OWS should publicly report on the number of audits it conducts.”
Mr Mickel said not only is WorkChoices unfair to workers but the federal Government won’t commit sufficient staff to provide a decent level of service to the Queensland community.
Queensland's Department of Industrial Relations 17 offices are supported by the Wageline information service, the Fair Go Queensland Advisory Service and the Wageline website which assists 1.2 million clients each year.
Queensland’s Fair Go service has received over 2000 calls since it was set up in December 2005.
_______________________________________________
Media contacts: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784