Senator Eric Abetz

The early days of Kevin Rudd’s so-called ‘Fair Work’ workplace laws provide an insight into what 2010 has in store for workplaces, workers and business under Labor.

The dust has barely begun to settle yet already, there are worrying signs of a return to the industrial relations days of old, with unions signalling an intention to pursue excessive wage increases. At the same time business struggles to comprehend the increase in operating costs flowing from the new ‘Modern’ award system, according to Shadow Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Senator Eric Abetz.

“While many were disappointed to see the minimum wage remain unaltered during the global financial crisis, restraint and caution is still needed to ensure business recovery is not jeopardised”.

“Some might see 2010 as the year to catch up on wage increases missed during the crisis, however such a perception ignores the reality that a full recovery is a long way off and that business will face many difficult challenges along the way”.

“Earlier this week, for example, we were warned that Labor’s system of ‘Modern’ awards will cost over 3000 Australian jobs in the retail sector and those losses could start to happen soon”.

“The last thing anyone needs is the Labor backed union movement demanding exorbitant wage increases above and beyond what would normally be expected”, says Senator Abetz.

Senator Abetz also expressed concern that business, particularly small business, remained in the dark about the new workplace laws and called on Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard to come clean about the impact of the new regime.

“Business and workers both are becoming sick and tired of the constant Labor spin and rhetoric about these new laws”, says Senator Abetz.

“It’s time that Julia Gillard gave some hard and fast answers so that we can all discover the truth about the realities of the new laws”.