WORKERS LEFT OUT IN COLD BY COMMONWEALTH

Some of the most vulnerable workers in Queensland will lose State Government protection under new Commonwealth legislation taking effect today.

Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel said the federal Government’s Independent Contractor’s Act overrides much of Queensland’s industrial system protecting disadvantaged and vulnerable workers, including those forced onto contracting arrangements.

“The federal Government’s harsh anti-worker laws remove some remedies for employees who are forced into sham contracting arrangements, replacing it with an ineffective regime that provides little or no redress to workers,” he said.

“The Work Choices legislation removed the ability of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to hear cases of unfair contracts and to provide a remedy where fraudulent contracting arrangements are found to occur.

“Many so-called independent contractors are the most vulnerable workers in the labour force, including low paid cleaners, couriers and security guards.

“These workers do not choose to be contractors but are told to either accept it or find another job.

“These new laws, like Work Choices generally, are an assault on working Queenslanders and deserve to be ripped up by a future federal Government led by Kevin Rudd.”

In June 2006, the Federal Government introduced two Bills to regulate independent contracting arrangements, overriding state laws covering such arrangements and establishing a new federal unfair contracts regime.

“The protection against unfair contracts is virtually useless. Under the new laws, the courts cannot award compensation for work performed in the past and can only protect workers from future exploitation by principals who continue to contract with them after the court case,” Mr Mickel said.

Ministerial Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784