Greens oppose roll back of workers entitlements

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

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26.05.04

Greens to oppose roll back of workers entitlements

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle, today indicated that The Greens will oppose
the Workplace Relations Amendment (protecting small business employment)
Bill 2004 in the Senate that removes the right to severance pay for
millions of employees of small businesses.

"The Government has moved to overrule its own independent arbiter, the
Australian Industrial Relation Commission (AIRC), which in March moved
to extend redundancy payment entitlements to small business employees,"
Senator Nettle said.

"The Minister either thinks he knows better than the full bench of the
AIRC or this is another attempt to wedge the ALP, either way it's not a
good basis for making policy.

"The Greens will oppose this bill in the Senate and condemn the
Government for once again wasting the parliament's time pursuing
'election stunt' legislation.

"The AIRC ruling dismissed the government's argument that small business
cannot afford such entitlements. 

In a statement accompanying the ruling the full bench of the AIRC argued
that;
"As a general proposition the employees of small businesses are entitled
to some level of severance pay."

And that;

"In the period 1997-98, the most recent period for which data are
available, some 70 per cent of small businesses which reduced the number
of persons they employed made a profit. For those businesses which are
unable to meet their redundancy pay obligations the incapacity to pay
provision, as amended by this decision, provides an avenue for relief."

"The Greens call on the Labor Party and Democrats to join us in
upholding the right for the independent arbiter to make decisions in the
best interests of Australian workers."

Contact Jon Edwards - 0428 213 146




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