FAIR GO HOTLINE HELPS CONFUSED EMPLOYEES UNRAVEL FEDERAL WORK CHOICES LAWS
Published Thursday, 30 November, 2006 at 02:20 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Queensland’s Fair Go Advisory Service will continue to help employers and workers try to make sense of federal government industrial laws, Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel confirmed today.
The Fair Go hotline marks its first anniversary next week.
Mr Mickel told parliament that the Fair Go hotline had attracted half its calls from employers confused and concerned by the Howard Government’s Work Choices.
“I would like to be able to close it down and go back to the old fair and balanced system that has operated in this country for more than a century,” he said.
“That is not going to happen though after the defeat of the states’ bid to overturn Work Choices in the High Court.
“That defeat means the advisory service is needed more than ever to help Queensland workers, their families and employers understand their rights and responsibilities at workplaces across the state.”
Mr Mickel said the Fair Go hotline would live for another year or until a new fair and reasonable federal government was elected to wind back Work Choices.
“The hotlines have taken thousands of calls over the year – many also have been made to the Wageline industrial relations information service too – from workers across Queensland, men and women, young and old, under either state or federal awards,” he said.
“About half the calls to Fair Go are from employers. They want to avoid the complexities of Work Choices and say that agreement making, in particular Australian Workplace Agreements, is too time consuming when fair conditions are already contained in state awards.
“Many employers also support state awards because they help in staff retention, and even staff poaching, by paying entitlements in excess of Work Choices.”
Mr Mickel said hotline advisors had heard from thousands of employees confused by Work Choices or who needed help after being sacked or forced to resign or accept lower wages or work longer hours or work on public holidays.
“Many of the calls are from older male workers and younger females – which is no surprise as they are among those who most fear losing their job or who traditionally have been among the most exploited,” he said.
More information from www.deir.qld.gov.au
Fair Go hotline: 1300 737 841
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
30 November 2006
The Fair Go hotline marks its first anniversary next week.
Mr Mickel told parliament that the Fair Go hotline had attracted half its calls from employers confused and concerned by the Howard Government’s Work Choices.
“I would like to be able to close it down and go back to the old fair and balanced system that has operated in this country for more than a century,” he said.
“That is not going to happen though after the defeat of the states’ bid to overturn Work Choices in the High Court.
“That defeat means the advisory service is needed more than ever to help Queensland workers, their families and employers understand their rights and responsibilities at workplaces across the state.”
Mr Mickel said the Fair Go hotline would live for another year or until a new fair and reasonable federal government was elected to wind back Work Choices.
“The hotlines have taken thousands of calls over the year – many also have been made to the Wageline industrial relations information service too – from workers across Queensland, men and women, young and old, under either state or federal awards,” he said.
“About half the calls to Fair Go are from employers. They want to avoid the complexities of Work Choices and say that agreement making, in particular Australian Workplace Agreements, is too time consuming when fair conditions are already contained in state awards.
“Many employers also support state awards because they help in staff retention, and even staff poaching, by paying entitlements in excess of Work Choices.”
Mr Mickel said hotline advisors had heard from thousands of employees confused by Work Choices or who needed help after being sacked or forced to resign or accept lower wages or work longer hours or work on public holidays.
“Many of the calls are from older male workers and younger females – which is no surprise as they are among those who most fear losing their job or who traditionally have been among the most exploited,” he said.
More information from www.deir.qld.gov.au
Fair Go hotline: 1300 737 841
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
30 November 2006