STRIKE RATES WORSE IN STATES AND TERRITORIES WHERE WORK CHOICES IS THE ONLY SYSTEM

Jurisdictions operating solely on the Howard Governments Work Choices legislation are more likely to experience industrial strikes than those states that still have their own independent Industrial Relations system.

Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel. said recently released figures show Victoria has a rate of 5.7 working days lost per thousand employees for the September Quarter while the ACT has a rate of 15.4 lost per thousand workers.

“Both Victoria and the ACT operate solely under the Howard Government’s unfair work choice laws,” he said.

These figures compare with a national average 2.3 working days lost per thousand workers and a Queensland figure of 0.2 working days lost per thousand workers.

“There is a distinct advantage in having a state industrial relations system with a heavy emphasis on conciliation before an independent umpire,” Mr. Mickel said.

“Businesses throughout the nation should be worried as the federal Government has moved the vast majority of Australian employers into a system that tends to have higher strike rates.

“The state systems have lower strike rates because there is an emphasis on solving disputes, rather than the pursuit of ideological agendas,” he said.


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Media contacts: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784

13 December 2006